Prongs Rides Again
by the-writer1988
Summary: After a particular vicious time at the Dursley's, Harry makes a wish: to have a father figure. James Potter is granted another chance at life. Harry's future is changed forever. Set during Fifth Year. Chapter 30 is up!
1. A Wish

**Title: **Prongs Rides Again

**Author: **MissBlackPotter

**Rating: **PG

**Summary: **After a particular vicious time at the Dursley's, Harry makes a wish: to have a father figure. James Potter is granted another chance at life. Harry's future is changed forever. Set during Fifth Year.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own HP

**Notes: **This story follows Harry's fifth year, with one thing: James Potter is alive. Look for a few changes in the story, but the overall plot is the same.

**-Prongs Rides Again-**

**Chapter One**

**A Wish**

It had been a normal day at number 4 Privet Drive. Or would have been if something unusual had not happened. The four people that lived in this house were remarkable different in many ways. Three were Dursleys and one was a Potter. Vernon Dursley was the man of the house; a large beefy man with a moustache. He was round and looked much like a large sack of potatos when you viewed him from afar. Vernon's wife, Petunia was different. Skinny and boned, Petunia was the local gossiper. She loved to spy on the neighbours to see what secrets they could be hiding. However she was hiding one of her own, yet only her immediate family knew of it. She had brown short hair, and horsy-boned cheeks, unlike her husband. What she saw in him no one knew, but she loved Vernon Dursley with all her heart. The couple had one son, a giant pig - well he would be if he kept on eating - Dudley (that was his name) was blond, rather round, so that when he sat at the kitchen table part of his backside fell off of the chair. Not the ideal son mind you, but the perfect one for Vernon and Petunia. The fourth member of the family looked nothing like them. Harry Potter was the son of Petunia's deceased sister who had been murdered when Harry was a year old. Harry was tall and skinny, with messy black hair that fell in strands about his face. His eyes were deep, green colour, and atop his forehead was a lightening bolt scar.

But Harry Potter was no ordinary boy.

He was a wizard, and a famous one at that. He was the Boy-Who-Lived. Unlike Dudley who had had the privilege of a good home, Harry had never known his parents. For ten years he had believed his parents to be the innocent victims of a car crash, invented by the Dursleys, however on his eleventh birthday Harry had discovered the truth. James and Lily Potter had given their lives to save him from the Dark Wizard Voldemort. To this day, Harry had no clue as to why he had not died that night, instead he had survived with the scar as the only souvenir of that terrible night.

Harry had never known his parents. He wished that he had.

The unusual thing that happened at Privet Drive was the presence of Dementors that had attacked Harry and Dudley when they'd been walking home from their nightly wanderings. Arguing as always, Dudley failed to notice the Dementors (as a Muggle he could not see them anyway) but Harry had. Taking out his wand, Harry had conjured his Patronus (EXPECTO PATRONUM) driving the Dementors away. Dudley, had been affected, scared out of his wits, Harry's cousin could barely move.

Then another shock of the evening had been the revelation that Arabella Fig, Harry's batty cat-loving neighbour, was really a Squib, a person with magical parents but possessed no magical ability themselves. She had helped Harry and Dudley back to the house where afterwards Harry had been accused of turning his wand onto Dudley and making him insane. The Dursley's had no clue about the Dementors, save Petunia who, it seems, had been keeping information to herself.

After a raging argument that had been interrupted by the arrival of several Owls, Harry had finally been sent to his room where he laid in peace, his mind thumping with questions. Who would send Dementor's to attack him? Voldemort? Harry sighed and rolled over on his bed, looking at a photo of his parents. They were dancing on an ice rink. James held Lily's hands: they were happy, laughing and smiling. Harry felt his throat tighten. He wished he could have known them.

"I need a father-figure" Harry said firmly"I need someone to guide me through this. Anyone."

He looked up out of his window at the cloudless sky, where stars shined down upon Little Whinging. The brightest star sat in the centre. Harry perched himself at his window, looking out at the star, focusing his eyes upon the star. "Please, I don't wish for much, and what I do, never gets granted. I wish...for a father figure, someone who will be there for me when others can not be. I am not whole without that. Please...I wish for a father-figure...please."

He bowed his head in grief.

* * *

Far up in the heaven's someone heard Harry's plea. And in the centre of the star formed a face. One like Harry's but slightly different. 

His father.

James Potter.

The heaven's were working an ancient magic in Harry's favour.

**TBC**

This is my first HP fic. I know there are lot's of James comes back to life stories but I thought I'd try my hand at one. Please note that the whole story takes place during **The Order of the Phoenix**. Some things will change, others will remain the same, but please give me a chance. I've never written anything like this before.

Let me know what you think! Chapters will get longer, I promise!

MissBlackPotter


	2. Awakening

**Oh my gosh…thank you for all the wonderful reviews I've received so far. I can't thank you all enough….I never even thought that I'd get that many for a first chapter! **_(Author squeals in delight) _

**Just a few little IMPORTANT notes that readers should be aware of: **

**This story is set during OOTP. At the moment Harry is still in Privet Drive, but that will change. In every chapter, I will recap in a few paragraphs exactly what Harry is doing so that people know exactly whereabouts in OOTP the story is. In this chapter, in the first scene, I hope I have made it clear we are in between Chapters 2 and 3. **

**The OOTP plot line will change once James enters the story properly and becomes involved with the general plot. At the moment, bear with me. I'm setting things up, but it is essential character development for James for me to explain certain developments to James and his personality. **

**Two more things: Someone noticed that I used the words father-figure in the first chapter several times. I had to use those words because Harry was not wishing for his father - he was wishing for someone who could be like a father. Those two words were important, so I had to use them. They won't be used often though. Sorry. **

**Updates for this story will be every Wednesday and either Saturday or Sunday. **

**Okay…enough of my general rambling….onto the story! **

* * *

**-Prongs Rides Again-**

**Chapter Two: Awakening**

He didn't know how long he slept, but Harry felt a little better once he had rested. It was the early hours of the following morning. Following the Dementor attack, Harry had received a letter from the Improper Use of Magic Office informing him of their decision to expel him from Hogwarts because of using underage magic. Only to have a few minutes later informed of their decision to suspend him until his court trail, of which when his fate would be decided. Frustrated by all this happenings, Harry vaguely remembered wishing for someone to come to help him, anyone.

_A father. _

"But it's no use…." Harry moaned softly, looking out of his window, "No one has come. And no one ever will. Mum and Dad are gone….forever. It's just me….Harry James Potter….all alone, waiting for some mad man to come and kill me."

He knew he was speaking like a deluded and drunken teenager but Harry hardly cared. Too much had happened. He _needed _someone.

"Anyone…" he whispered again, letting tears fall down his cheeks.

* * *

His body felt cold, as if it hadn't been anywhere warm for years. Light filled his vision; it hurt his eyes. Why? He tried to open them but it hurt too much.

_Move your fingers. _

An unbidden voice filled his mind but he obeyed not daring to disagree. He crunched his fingers in response. They felt unused and they hurt when he released them.

_Open your eyes. _

The voice commanded again.

Gradually James Potter opened his eyes, not understanding why he could barely see.

The cool voice spoke again. Was it his mind? No, it couldn't be. Then what was it?

_You have been given a special gift, James Christopher Potter. A chance of life. _

Life? James struggled to remember. He thought desperately: _Why can't I remember? _Try as he might James could not recall what had happened to him. Two faces swam into view. _Lily, Harry. _

The voice continued in his head. _You cannot remember. Memories will be released by your own mind. You are needed in the world, once more, James. _

"Needed?" James croaked, his voice incredibly hoarse. _Why? _And then a thought struck him as memories began to entwine themselves. "I died."

James swallowed. He could recall everything as it flickered through his mind's eye. Harry had been sleeping when he'd started crying. Darkness had enveloped them in its cold, menacing grip. _I told Lily to run._ _Voldemort killed me…_

"Where's Lily? And Harry?" he asked aloud. He didn't even know where he was, let alone the fate of his loved ones. His heart started to beat faster then normal. He had to know. Lily had to have got away. Had to.

But no one answered.

"Where are they?" James shouted, desperate.

Shakily he got to his feet, and looked around. A house that had once stood magnificently lay shattered and in ruins. "This was my home." James felt tears brim in his eyes. Godric's Hollow was gone. If Lily and Harry had still been in the house then they would've been killed. "Oh god…they're gone."

He looked up at the heavens. "WHY?" he screamed, "WHY DID YOU BRING ME HERE?"

Almost instantly a voice answered, but it was not the same cool voice he had heard earlier, instead it was an old voice, but of someone James recognised.

"For your son."

James turned round slowly, wobbling on his unsteady feet. Standing no more then a few metres away was Albus Dumbledore.

"What about my son?" James asked, weary, upset and unable to believe that the two people he truly loved was gone…forever.

"Harry is alive and so are you," Albus Dumbledore explained, "a simple wish can make even the dead come back to life. The fate of death has been lifted from you, James, for a purpose. And that purpose is to help your son. Harry needs you, now more then ever. He asked the heavens for you."

James was stunned. His son was alive….

"I am afraid that Lily is dead. She cannot ever come back into the threshold of this world, James. She made a great sacrifice for Harry, but if she was restored this protection that she laid upon him would be lifted. A protection that has kept him alive these past fourteen years."

"Fourteen?" James croaked. _Lily…._

"Yes," Dumbledore nodded sadly, "Fourteen long years have passed since you died." He held out his hand to James. "Come, it is time for me to explain it all to you."

Brain buzzing with all sorts of questions, James took Dumbledore's hand. "Where are you taking me?" he questioned.

"Number Twelve Grimmauld Place," Dumbledore smiled, "You will find a few old accomplices there waiting for you. However, James, you are not truly healed. The shock of it all is only just begun. The day's will only get worse before they get better."

James nearly fell, but the headmaster caught him. His feet was still unsteady from years of not using them.

"Since you cannot Apparate on your own, I will help you. Just hold onto me, and I'll get us both to Grimmauld Place."

James closed his eyes. The next thing he knew he was standing outside a battered worn house, that had appeared out of nowhere. Dumbledore still stood beside him, supporting him. "Did we just Apparate?" James was confused.

"Yes," Dumbledore replied, "Welcome, James Potter, to the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix."

**TBC**

**I'm not sure about this chapter. I think James should be a little more confused and dis-orientated. I have read a fic where he's gone completely insane but that is when he's travelled fourteen years into the future...so do you think he was portayed well in this chapter, especially for someone who's just come back from the dead? **

**I know James hasn't really taken Lily's death to the core yet…but he will. He's still shocked. He's reeling from the fact that his son is still alive and that Lily is dead. **

**Chapter 3 is titled: **Understanding

**Let me know what you think of this chapter!**

**-**

**Thank you to the following people for their review: **belle granger; kokomocalifornia; IamSiriusgrl; RoschLupin-Black; sirius-black-sfan; lostinyourarms; shazia)Riavera; Patronus99; unicorn666; Annasun; old-crow; SilverHawk 27; Katie; RebelHanyouofDarkness; zippyfox; Miss Parselmouth; HarrysGrrl; Siriusly Sirius Lily Black; HandsOff; SeaMar; Loonie Potter, HermioneWeasley, PadFootCc, ravenfarie _and _ambereyes2873!

There is just a few people who'd I like to thank with added comments:

**Jessica: **_I wanted to try a different approach to how James Potter comes back to life. I have planned out most aspects of the story beforehand, so things will be different whereas others will remain. I will continue with this story. I am already writing Chapter 4. Thank you for your wonderful review. _

**Werewolves are People Too: **_I decided to try a (hopefully) an unused concept about how James comes back to life. I decided upon a wish because I haven't seen a fic with that plot before. _

**littlewolf-moony: **_Thank you for the detailed review. I didn't think it was important to go into the Dementor scene as it is described wonderfully in the book. I was uncomfortable with the beginning as I didn't know how to start it. I thought it would be best to write a short scene on what lead's up to Harry's grief. I figured that the people who read this story would be familiar with Harry's grief and would not really need a recap. Thank you for your comments. _

**Sexy Black: **_You added me to your Author Alert list? I squealed in delight! Thank you! _

**snufflesroxursox: **_The chapters will be getting longer as the story progresses. The first few are set up chapters to get the story going, but I aim to write more for the coming chapters. _

**Bev Baudelaire: **_Sorry about the words 'father-figure' but he wasn't wishing for a father, just someone who could be. However the words 'father-figure' will appear several times throughout the story but not often. Please bear with it. It is, in a way, essential to my plot, for Harry to say those words. More will be explained as the chapter's progress. Thank you for your review. _

**sportsnightnut: **_I will be following the basic OOTP plot (Harry's dreams extra, and a few other major happenings) but most of the plot and the interaction of characters will differ. I don't want to stray too far away from canon by adding James to the story, though I realise it will. Thank you for your review. _

**Lady Taliesin: **_I didn't want to start a story where James comes back to life on the night he died or that he never died anyway. The words 'father-figure' will not appear in the story often. Harry was really distressed when he said it, so I believe that he would say something like that, especially after the state-of-mind he was in. This chapter was a little longer then the previous, and the third chapter is longer (which I will post at the weekened). Thank you for reading! _

**empaticallychosen: **_Once you get your story up I will check it out for you. Just let me know when it is up and what the title is. Thank you for your review. _

**HarryPotterknoitall: **_You like my style of writing? Thank you! I didn't think I was that good! _

**RougePriest: **_I think there are a few James comes back to life stories, which is where I got the idea from, but I'm trying to make it my own story. Your comments were appreciated. _

**Delta74: **_At the moment, as the story is set at the beginning of OOTP, Sirius is still alive. I'm still deciding whether he will die or not. If he does...I might have to work out where the story goes from there. Sirius is my fave character (next to James Potter) but you'll have to wait and see what happens..._

**Jeran: **_I wanted to try a different approach as to how James came back to life. Thank you for your review! _

**angelicmayuka: **_I hope you liked how I portrayed James in this chapter. He will go through different stages at first but hopefully his character and personality will flesh out when he gets over the fact that he's alive again. Sorry...no Lily, but James will remember moments of her, and we'll see some of them in later chapters. Thank you for your review. _

**Phew End of the Reponses at last. If I forget to mention your name let me know. If you think I shouldn't do Review Responses let me know in a review because I don't know if I should. If there is a question or something that I'd like to comment on then I will reply, but is it worth it? I'm new to so any guidance would be appreciated. **

**Thank you!**

**Next Update: Saturday.**

**MissBlackPotter **


	3. Understanding

**AUTHOR NOTES AT THE END OF THE CHAPTER - PLEASE READ!**

**Prongs Rides Again**

**Chapter Three: Understanding**

"This….this is the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix?" Incredulously, James could barely believe it. "The ancient house of Black?"

Dumbledore nodded. "Sirius was kind enough to lend it to the Order."

"He's still alive?" James asked. _I wonder if he's still an Auror. If he is, he's done quite well to survive this long!_

"Yes, and Remus too. Both are here, but neither knows that you are alive. It is just myself and Minerva McGonagall."

"When will they find out?"

"When you are better," responded the Headmaster.

"Better? What do you mean: Better?"

Dumbledore turned sad, old eyes on James. "You are not well, James. Your anger is bottled up inside you. I know you are upset, confused and wary of everything. Until you let it go I can't risk having you see your friends….in case you accidentally hurt them."

"I wouldn't though." James said stubbornly, though he feared that he would lose control. Ever since learning of Lily's death he couldn't stop thinking about her. Her green eyes; his hands playing with her soft hair….her irresistible lips. "Lily…" he whispered. He swallowed. He had loved Lily so much….and now she was gone. He would never hold her again, never brush her lips with his, and never sleep next to her again. Worst of all, she would never get to see Harry grow.

Dumbledore needed to say no more. James was ill and getting him better was top priority: especially if he was going to help Harry. The headmaster had no doubt that once James discovered Sirius reputation as a murderer he would go to any lengths to free him and get him proclaimed innocent. He also feared that James would go off in search of Peter Pettigrew in revenge for what had happened to Lily. Lovesick men did that. Harry needed his father. If James wasn't capable then the thing that Harry had wished for would not come true. James had to be strong, and the first thing Albus needed to do was set him on the road to healing.

He wrapped his elderly arms round James, steering him to the front steps. "Come, let me take you inside."

"Won't they see me?" James asked.

The headmaster shook his head. "No, they won't. I've cast a Disillusionment Charm upon you. That should protect you from the others that dwell in this house. Also, Minerva is keeping the others busy in the kitchen. I will take you upstairs to a room where you will remain until I see fit that you can meet your friends. Hopefully your recovery will be speedy."

"Me too." James accepted. He knew he was not right, he knew he had a long way to go before he would truly understand everything, but he was willing to try, for Harry. His son was important. Lily would've wanted him to. Taking a deep breath, James followed Dumbledore inside the house.

The front door opened at its own accord. James had a feeling that the headmaster was the Secret Keeper for the Order so the house would obey him. He could hear raised voices from the kitchen. _Some sort of argument must be going on_, James thought. And then above the bustle of voices and the scraping of chairs he instinctually heard the name 'Harry'. He paused in his step, heart beating fast. He wanted to know…his heart wanted to hear.

But Dumbledore placed a hand on his shoulder and steered him round. "Come James. All will be explained."

"Harry…" James mumbled. He wanted to see his son.

They took to the flight of stairs. Dumbledore led him high up onto the third floor, where he turned right and unlocked a door. The room was bare, save for a bed and a few dark arts books stacked on the shelves. Dumbledore gently pushed James into the room, and the young man crossed it until he came to the bed where he sat down upon it. Dumbledore conjured up a chair with his wand and sat in it. Then he turned to the door, and locked it, and cast a silencing charm upon it, so that their conversation couldn't reach unwanted ears.

James felt a shiver as the charm protecting him was removed.

"James," Dumbledore began, "can you tell me what happened the night you died?"

Slowly, James nodded. He swallowed but for some reason he found it difficult to speak. Finally he began, explaining all about the traumatic night…the night he had lost everything. "I remember waiting for confirmation from Peter, but it never came. He said he would contact me at the end of the every month. October 31st was to be the first time. He never did. I should of known something was wrong the moment it happened," James struggled to find words, "Voldemort came. I know not what time it was. He said he wanted Harry and that if we obeyed, he would leave. I told Lily to run and that I'd hold him off. I told her to protect Harry. Voldemort duelled me. I cursed him half a dozen times, but he got me, eventually, when he'd had enough of my defiance. He killed me, barely ten minutes after he entered the house, I believe."

Remembering hurt. Death had hurt. When the killing curse had hit, James had felt immense pain. His body had felt like it was on fire. His heart had bled, and slowed, his brain had stopped working. Everything had been painful, and then it was gone. He had been floating in a haze, when light had restored him.

"Death was painful too." his voice was hoarse, almost broken.

He looked up at Dumbledore, a questioning glance in his eyes. "How did Harry escape and Lily did not?"

"A simple magic. The power of love. Lily sacrificed herself to save Harry. That simple act of love saved your son's life. Voldemort tried to cast the killing curse upon him but it rebounded and hit him instead, however Voldemort did not die. His spirit was torn from his body, and up until this summer, Voldemort has been nothing but a spirit wondering the forests. He has now been restored to his body and will wreak havoc upon the world once more. Upon Harry's forehead is a scar. The mark of a dark curse failing but still potentially lethal. This scar has given Harry a connection to Voldemort. He can feel him when he is near or feeling particular murderous. Harry's fate is the one of the prophecy."

James gasped. "Not Harry…he can't….he's just a boy." He and Lily had known of the Prophecy before they had gone into hiding. Both had hoped that Harry would not be the one to bear it, but now, it seemed, he was.

"What Harry has seen has been more then any Witch or Wizard his age has ever encountered. That is why you are here James. Harry needs you to guide him through this. The heavens granted him this because of all the misery and danger he has been forced through."

"What exactly has Harry done?" James gasped.

"I will leave that for Harry to tell you."

James nodded. Ever more his thoughts fled back to Lily and to happier times. _Why did this have to happen to my family? _

"James?" Dumbledore sounded concerned.

James met his eyes. "I'm fine."

"It's Lily, isn't it?"

Nodding, James said: "Yeah, I miss her. I want her back. She didn't deserve to die…no one does. She deserved to see Harry grow. Oh god….I have to live without her…." Then James flipped. His anger went loose and all he wanted to do was throw something, however nothing was in reach. "WHY? WHY ME? WHY LILY?" Tears flowed down his cheeks. "WHY MUST I BE PUNISHED IN THIS WAY?"

James closed his eyes, sinking back down onto the bed, his anger quickly abating. "Oh god…I'm so screwed. I just wish the best for Harry."

"And you can," Dumbledore said gently, "Be the father to him that he so rightly deserves."

James lifted his head which had fallen to his chest. His eyes met Dumbledore's. "I promise Harry will have a father. He needs me. I will not go away from him…ever. No matter how much I miss Lily, Harry is my main priority. Lily would do it if she was here. I promised Harry…and Lily that I'd look after them. I failed Lily, but I won't fail Harry. I promise that."

* * *

The heavens twinkled above Privet Drive. Unbeknownst to fifteen year old Harry Potter, his father had just made a promise. A promise that would change his life. The Dursley's were still ignoring him. Harry hardly cared. He sat on his bed staring - once more - at the photos of his parents. He missed them terribly. 

If only they were here to help him….

**

* * *

**

**Three days later…**

Dumbledore closed the door to James' room. He had been talking to him every so often to help him understand what the world was like now. The young man had only been in the world for a few days, and he had already accepted the burden of which fate had placed on his shoulders. James still hurt about Lily's death, but he was a strong man. Letting his anger out had been a good thing…it had showed the headmaster that James was letting everything go now rather then later. He was healing, but it would take time, and he might not even do that until Voldemort was dead.

For now, James had accepted that Harry needed him.

It was time.

Time for Sirius and Remus to know the truth. The Order would know soon after, with Harry following.

* * *

"Sirius! Remus!" Dumbledore called, over the ensemble crowd of the Order. "May I have a word with you?" 

The two wizards looked at each other, shrugged their shoulders and made their way through the crowd to where the Order's head was waiting for them.

"I have some news that might shock you." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he spoke.

He led them from the room and out into the hallway, up the stairs and to a room opposite the one where James was currently staying in. Dumbledore locked and silenced the room.

"Is there a good reason for these security measures?" Sirius asked, a bit wary, though around Dumbledore he had no idea why.

The headmaster dismissed the question. "I have news that may shock you." he repeated.

"What is it?" Remus asked, "It's not Harry?"

"No, nothing about Harry…" he hesitated, "though in a sense it is."

The other two wizards looked dumbfounded. What an earth was Dumbledore talking about?

"Harry made a wish three days ago under the stars…wishing for a father-figure…someone to guide him through this dark period in his life. Normally wishes are not granted by the heavens, but this time it did. The reasoning I do not know, but I can tell you this: James Potter is alive."

**TBC**

**Well, there you go, Sirius and Remus have now been told. But the question is…Do they believe him? Or not? (I also apologise for the use of the words 'father-figure' at the end). **

**AUTHOR NOTES**

I would like to say that I am writing ahead of myself with this story. I am already writing Chapter 6, and the following chapters are already planned and ready to be written. To keep up with my updating schedule (Wednesday and the weekend) I am writing ahead so there is something to post on each day. I will inform readers of when I may not be able to update because of certain pressures (such as work; exams; and holidays). I will make an effort to update at least once every week, but hopefully twice. At the moment I am finding a lot of time to write so I can update twice a week.

Also, I might update this Tuesday and not Wednesday because I will be out of town for three days and I believe I'm going on Wednesday morning. If that is the case, I'll update on Tuesday. The next chapter will be there!

**Thank You's**

Thank you to the following people who reviewed Chapter 1 recently: **ravenfarie; ambereyes2873; Xylia Dark; magicgirl45852; Black Fleet Foot **(thanks for the advice!)**; twinsrthebest; **and **silverspecter **(and I'll read your story when you get it up if you want me to!)

Thank you to the following people who reviewed Chapter 2: **RebelHanyouofDarkness; Stasya; RoschLupin-Black; Jeran; HarrysGrrl; Black Fleet Foot; RougePriest; sirius-black-sfan; Sexy Black; VanilliaKatie; Zippyfox; floro13; Silverhawk27; A.J. of Gryffindor; Avlyn; Elvett **and **rosiegirl.**

**Responses **

**SeriousSiriusFan: **_I don't know if Sirius will die at the end of fifth year, but I'm working out two solutions that could happen. It's a long way off though: we've got a long way to go before we get to that point in the story. _

**littlewolf-moony: **_James was outside Godric's Hollow when he woke up. Yes, he was buried but since he was brought back he no longer has a grave. It's still there but no James. He was put back where he died, where the last imprint of him was left. The voice in James' head was his own subconscious's. His brain was telling him to wake up. As for the other questions, I can't answer them as answers will be found in the coming chapters. If you didn't read my Author Notes, I have a plan for this story already and I am already writing ahead. I'm nearing completion of Chapter 6. Thank you for the review!_

**Handsoff: **_Unfortunately, Harry doesn't make an appearance until Chapter 6. No reunion until then - sorry - but there is other stuff to get through first (such as Sirius and Remus meeting James; the Order being informed: and Cornelius Fudge still to come!) _

**IamSiriusgrl: **_James had a mental breakdown with Dumbledore...Sirius and James meet in the next chapter. _

**HarryPotterknowitall: **_James' body was in a coffin, but he was brought back where the last living imprint of him was. So he was at Godric's Hollow. I hope that clears that up! _

**angelicmayuka: **_You liked how I portrayed James? Thank you! There is a memory of Lily in the next chapter. And will Sirius be cleared? Um...maybe...maybe not. Thank you for reading! _

**Ambereyes2873: **_Yes, this is the summer before fifth year. _

**Xylia Dark: **_Umbridge is definitely in the story, Look out for her in the coming chapters. _

**Lady Taliesin: **_As with the others I have said that James was buried but he has been brought back to where the last living imprint of him survives on the world which was Godric's Hollow. That is where he is in Chapter 2.I don't think I have explained that in the chapters that I have written so far – in fact I'm not sure if I will or not. Thank you for the review!_

**Dadaiiro: **_You'll found out those questions in the next couple of chapters. You'll see Sirius' reaction in the next chapter! _

Until the next chapter,

MissBlackPotter

**Next Update**

Tuesday (or Wednesday)


	4. Reunion

**A/N) I'm updating early because I'm not sure if I can tomorrow, so a new chapter is better then nothing right? **

**Important Author Notes**

**If anyone is interested I've started a Yahoo Group for this story. Come and join and discuss what is going to happen in the future! The invitation is extended to all of you! There are polls available and maybe a few competitions in the future. Anyone interested can find the link in my bio, where homepage is or at the bottom of my Bio. (No one has joined yet so any one is welcome as long as they have a genuine interest in this story!). **

The reunion some of you have been waiting for, is now here! Sirius, Remus and James have a little chat…ENJOY!

**Chapter Four: Reunion**

The words _'James Potter is alive' _sent a dozen shock waves through the two Wizards. Neither responded for fear of waking up and discovering it was a dream. Each was waiting for the other to speak. Dumbledore sat quietly, waiting.

Finally Sirius spoke. His voice sounded odd, almost distant. "James can't be…I saw his body. I closed his eyes!" It was unbelievable. No one could come back from the dead. But why would Dumbledore lie?

"Harry wished for this?" Remus asked, finding his voice sounded quite normal, compared to what he was feeling like inside. James was alive….James was safe!

"As I said earlier," Dumbledore explained, "Harry made a wish upon a star. His wish came true. James Potter has been given another chance of life. He is here to aid Harry."

"Where's he now?" whispered Sirius.

"Across the hallway."

Sirius leapt up. "He's here? Right now?"

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes. When James was brought back I felt power surging through Hogwarts. I saw his death and then his re-birthing. Hogwarts knows when a student that once walked through the doors dies. It remembers them all. Likewise, when James was brought back, the Castle showed me where he was. Hogwarts always knows. If I hadn't been at the school at the time, then I would not know. I alerted Professor McGonagall who agreed to keep the Order busy while I fetched James and brought him here. This is the safest place for him, away from any prying eyes."

"What does he know?" Remus breathed.

Dumbledore sighed. "He knows Harry is alive. He knows that the Prophecy is at work. He knows that Lily is dead and can never return like he has done. He knows that you two are alive as well. That is all. Harry will have to tell him what his life has been like, what he has done when he is brought here. Also James will have to be informed of the Ministry's movements against me, and Wormtail." Dumbledore cast a glance in Sirius' direction. "I'm sure I can leave that piece of information up to you."

Sirius' face darkened. "Oh, yeah, James will not be very happy with Peter now, will he? Especially since he is the cause of Lily's death."

"We can't let James go after Peter. James' purpose is Harry, not revenge. He has already made a promise to protect Harry. See to it that he keeps it." Dumbledore urged. "I cannot stress this enough."

Remus' throat was dry. "How do we know this is the real James? How can he not simply be a Death Eater in disguise?"

"With James' looks?" Sirius asked incredulously. "Come on, Moony, if this guy was an imposter, I think Dumbledore would know."

"It's his eyes, and his dedication to his family that tell me he is the real James Potter," Dumbledore said, "he told me what happened on October 31st. I can see in his eyes that he remembers. He even knows what death is like. There is no lie in his eyes. It is James Potter."

* * *

James put a hand through his black hair. It hadn't been brushed in ages. _Fourteen years._ Since Dumbledore had left James' mind had wondered to what Harry's childhood had been like growing up with Sirius. He had always known that his best friend had adored Harry, had always wanted the best for him. A slight smile tugged at James' lips. A memory flashed before his eyes: 

"_Sirius! Stop doing that!" Lily shouted, as she watched Sirius transform into his Animagus form and then back again. He tossed her a grin and transformed just to annoy her. _

_Lily flung her hands in the air. "James, tell him its not right for Harry!" _

_James laughed, his hazel eyes twinkling. Harry sat on the floor in front of Sirius, laughing and watching his godfather with bright, wondrous, green eyes. "Come on, Padfoot, stop it. Lily'll get madder. Trust me. You don't want the dinner burnt. She'll cook it again if it is, just to prove she can cook perfectly every time." _

"_I heard that James Potter!" Lily replied from the kitchen. _

_Sirius grinned at James. "She got you there, Prongs. Pity, she has no control over me." _

_Then Lily's voice rang back out. "Sirius, lay the table for me." _

_James laughed. _

_Sirius rolled his eyes and got up from where he sat perched on the floor. Using his wand he conjured knives and forks and plates onto the table. He made a baby-chair for Harry also, who he levitated into it. Harry giggled. _

_James smirked. "Has no control over you?" _

"_Shut up, Prongs." Sirius replied. _

_Lily walked into the room, carrying a bowl of soup. "Dinner's up." She proclaimed. _

_James sat down and Lily sat next to him, planting a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you, James." _

"_For what?" _

"_For annoying Sirius," she turned her gaze on the other Wizard, "And you, can clear up later, while James and I spend quality time with our son." _

"_Yes mum." Sirius replied, acting the part. James laughed. _

The memory ended, and James felt a hand on his cheek. It was his own. _Where Lily kissed me. _That memory had taken place on James' twenty-first birthday. Harry had not even been a year old then. Now he was fifteen. Had he really missed that much in his son's life?

James swallowed. He really had. Harry was nearly grown up…nearly an adult. If he had survived this long, why had he wanted James now? Why not before? Wasn't Harry's childhood happy with Sirius?

_What if he didn't grow up with Sirius? What if something happened that prevented that? _James thought.

Before he could answer those questions, the door opened and Albus Dumbledore walked in. Two wizards followed him. James peered over the elderly man's shoulder.

"James," Dumbledore informed him, "I would like you to say hello to Sirius Black and Remus Lupin."

Dumbledore stepped aside revealing the two Wizards. James gasped. His two best friends looked utterly different. What had happened to them? Remus looked old, grey streaked his hair, and his eyes looked tired. _Probably because of the werewolf thing. When was the last full moon? _Sirius, on the other hand, was thinner, paler and the glint that he'd once had in his eyes was gone, replaced by haunted, un-shining eyes. What had happened to Sirius for that to happen?

"I will leave you to talk. I'm sure you've got a lot of things to say." Dumbledore said. "Remus, when you are done, you are needed by Alastor Moody. He will be taking the team to Privet Drive."

Remus nodded understanding, though he hadn't really listened, since his gaze was focused on James. Sitting in front of him was James….Prongs. Dumbledore left, shutting the door.

Silence. No one moved or even dared to make a sound.

Finally Remus broke the quietness, voicing the question that had haunted him since knowing of James' existence, which had only been twenty minutes ago. "How do we know you are James Potter?"

James blinked, understanding that his friends were wary. They were afraid Dumbledore had made a mistake. How could he prove to them that he was who he said he was? And then he knew.

Surprisingly James found his voice was calm: "You are a werewolf, Moony. We confronted you on the twenty-second of November 1972, during our second year. We made a promise to stand together, supporting one another until the end," he swallowed, remembered Peter's betrayal of that trust, "and, who else do we know can transform into a Stag as an Animagus form?"

"I think it's him." Sirius said. "No one else would know the date we spoke to you about the werewolf thing. And no one save me, you, Peter and Lily knew about James being a Stag, up until 1994."

Remus nodded. "Yeah," he smiled and walked forward, grabbing James and hugging him, unbelieving but glad he was there all the same. "It's good to have you back."

"It's nice to see a familiar face." James whispered. He could barely believe it! His friends were alive!

Sirius stepped forward, and gave James a brotherly hug. "Oh god, James, I can't believe it. You're here. Harry will be so pleased."

James looked at him sharply. "I heard that he was not happy? Is this true? Did you not raise him, Padfoot?"

Sirius bowed his head. "No, I didn't."

"Why? Lily and I asked you to raise Harry if anything happened to us!" James shouted. Sirius had promised to raise Harry!

"It's a bit hard to raise a child when you are in Azkaban, James." Sirius replied quietly.

James' mouth fell open. Sirius? Azkaban? "But…?" he couldn't find his voice, "…How? Why?"

"I went after Peter," Sirius explained, regret in his voice, "it was a stupid thing to do. For the first time in that little rat's life he was better then me." he laughed, "Imagine that! Peter! Better then me!"

James looked confused, his mind whirling with questions. "What did he do?"

Sirius snorted. "He framed me for his murder and twelve Muggles."

"Peter murdered twelve Muggles and framed you?" James said, surprised. _I never thought he would have the guts to do anything like that…but then he did sell me and Lily to Voldemort. _Anger burst through him but he forced it down. Now was not the time to think about Peter.

"Yes," Remus interjected, "Peter cut off his finger and transformed into a rat. He lived as one for twelve years until Sirius escaped from Azkaban and went to hunt him down. Unfortunately Peter escaped before we could take him to the Ministry to overturn Sirius' sentence. He fled…back to Voldemort and helped him return to full strength."

James' face darkened. "That little rat."

James turned his gaze onto his best friend. "So you're not free then?"

Sirius shook his head. "No. I'm still a 'convicted murderer' who is 'insane'. And if I'm captured Cornelius Fudge, our esteemed Minister of Magic has signed the papers to allow the Dementors to give me the Kiss." He folded his arms. "So I'm remaining in hiding until we can catch Peter and prove to Fudge that I am innocent, and that is unlikely to happen."

"I can help." James said.

"How?"

"Well, you weren't our Secret Keeper, so that should help your case."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "As if Fudge is going to care. All he cares about is power. No, James, don't help. Besides who's going to believe a dead man come back to life anyway?"

James shrugged. "It might work."

"Much as it's good to have you back, James, I don't think trying to get Sirius innocent is going to help you. Fudge is against Dumbledore." Remus explained.

"What?"

"He refuses to believe that Voldemort has returned. On the whole, he thinks Harry is a complete and utter loony. They've been printing lies about him in the Daily Prophet all summer."

James paled. "Has Harry faced Voldemort then?"

Sirius nodded. "He did. At the end of June. Harry witnessed Voldemort's return. I can't really say, but it'll be best if you get the whole story from Harry."

James shook his head. Too much information, yet he couldn't believe that his son had faced the Dark Lord and survived, twice.

Remus made a move to rise and James looked at him questionably. Remus answered: "I've got to go and meet Mad-Eye Moody. I'm going on a mission with him."

"Mission?"

"To get Harry. He's coming here James."

* * *

"Why can't I go and fetch my son?" 

Sirius glared at his friend. James could be incredibly stubborn when it suited his needs. "Because it will shock him. He might think it as some joke…which is what Remus thought when Dumbledore informed us of your re-incarnation."

James growled, but his anger abated. "I need to give what's best for Harry."

"I know. We all do." Sirius laid a gentle hand on his friend's shoulder.

James turned hazel eyes on Sirius. "Who does he live with?"

Sirius hesitated. "I think Harry should tell you. It is not my place to say."

"Damn you, Sirius." James cursed.

"You can see Harry soon. He'll tell you. I promise."

James smiled lightly. "Thank you."

**TBC**

**I'm not sure if the reunion was what you expected. In some stories (that I've read) people tend have them cry and hug, but I just didn't see that happening. I also didn't want James acting insane. And he's not over Lily yet - either. He recovered quickly for the sake of his son, but he isn't truly healed. That will become evident as the story progresses and I start to explore the relationship between Harry and James. **

**Review Responses:**

Thank you's go to the following people: **sirius-black-sfan; HarryPotterknowitall; lilypad007; Jb; VladLycan; banks'-gurl-99; jjeeff185; HandsOff; shazia)Riavera; rosiegirl; Pottergirl **and **Xylia Dark.**

**IamSiriusgrl: **_Since Sirius hasn't been around for Harry (being on the run and all) and Remus wouldn't be allowed to take care of him (because of his condition) I don't think Harry would consider them as father-figures in a way, though he does rely on them a lot. Thanks for your review._

**angelicmayuka: **_Did you like the memory? There is more to come but I'm not sure when though. James hasn't got over Lily's death: not by a long shot, he's just accepted it for the sake of Harry. I hope you liked this chapter!_

**Icy Tears: **_If Lily was brought back the protection on Harry would be lifted. _

**magicgirl45852: **_Sorry for not mentioning you. I hope you liked the reunion. I wasn't too sure on that. _

**sportsnightnut: **_Thank you for saying this story has become my own through the edition of James. I'm hoping to go through all of OotP and if HBP has been released I plan to go through that book as well, though I does depend if I change the ending to OotP. Thank you for the review!_

**Siriusly Sirius Lily Black: **_I will read your fic when I can. And I'll leave a review. I'll be away for a few days so I won't be able to read your fic, but I promise to do so. If you haven't got a review by next Wednesday, remind me and I'll go and review. Thank you for your comments!_

**maya100: **_Harry isn't at Grimmauld Place yet so he doesn't know yet. He finds out next chapter and meets James in the following one after that. Thanks for reading!_

**HarrysGrrl: **_Thank you for adding me to your favourites and author alert list! I feel honoured to be considered to be put onto any favourite; author; or author alert lists at all by anyone!_

**SeriousSiriusFan: **_As is evident in this chapter, Sirius and Remus didn't believe Dumbledore at first (though they didn't get mad or angry) but they do know he has good reasons for telling them in the first place. And I am working on the solutions for the end of the story. I don't want to kill off Sirius, but it **might** happen because of the way I want the story to go. It will also depend on how many people want him to remain in the story after fifth year. So…we'll just have to see where I take the story. Don't worry there will be loads of Sirius in the story (more then in OotP). Thank you for the wonderful review!_

**Lady Taliesin: **_I have read Charmed Curses and I find it very complex to understand, but after reading a few times I finally understand what is happening to James. I didn't want James to have a big breakdown because that, in a way, detracts from the promise he made to protect his wife and son. If he broke down then he wouldn't be quite the strong person that he is. I hope you liked the reunion between the three friends. I'm not sure if I wrote that well. Thanks for reading and giving me wonderful reviews to comment on. _

**littlewolf-moony: **_Yes, this chapter is all the reunion. James really needed to let his anger out, so he basically did what Harry did at the end of OotP. Unfortunately the next chapter, James goes to the Ministry to meet Fudge. That chapter has been fun to write…and yes Lily is dead and gone. Sorry. _

**Silverspecter: **_I hope this makes you feel special again. I hope you liked Sirius and Remus' reactions! Thank you for the review! _

**Lilypad007: **_The difference between father and father-figure is that a father-figure is someone you look up to as a father (i.e for Harry would be Sirius or Remus) and receives advice and things. Basically the father-figure is someone who acts like a father but isn't. A father is well all of those things but your real father, if you get what I mean. I really didn't explain that very well…_

**Next chapter is entitled: **The Order of the Phoenix: _in which James is revealed twice, and includes Fudge, Veritaserum and Harry._

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter! **

**MissBlackPotter**


	5. The Order of the Phoenix

**A/N) This has to be the longest chapter I have ever written for this story. Chapters will hopefully, from now on, be this length, accept on particular circumstances for the story. I do try to write more then five pages but sometimes because of what is occurring in the story at that time, the chapter may be short. I will try to do my best to write a long chapter to satisfy you readers. **

**Onto the story where James has a strange encounter with the Minister…. **

* * *

**Prongs Rides Again**

**Chapter Five: The Order of the Phoenix **

"Sorry, I'm late," Remus apologised. The members of Moody's Strike Team were waiting patiently outside Grimmauld Place. He ran his eyes over the crowd, recognising them all. To the left, and waiting rather impatiently was Alastor Moody; next to him stood Nymphadora Tonks (who bore purple hair down to her waist); followed by Kingsley Shacklebolt who was talking to a young witch who Remus knew as Hestia Jones. Beside her was a group of two wizards and one witch: Elphias Doge, Dedalus Diggle and Emmeline Vance.

"Now, that we are all here…" Moody began, before being cut off by Lupin.

"If you didn't know I had business with Dumbledore and Sirius." Remus snapped.

Moody's eyes rolled. "Yes, we know about the situation with James Potter. The Headmaster informed us of it."

"Oh…"

"No more must be said of that matter. The other Potter is our priority." Moody said.

Remus picked up the broom he would be riding. He glanced to Tonks who flashed him a grin. "Wotcha Lupin."

He shrugged, and then on Moody's mark they soured into night and towards Privet Drive where James' son awaited them, not knowing that his father was alive.

* * *

"I think it's time to re-introduce you to the Order of the Phoenix, James." Dumbledore said. 

James and Sirius had spent the last few minutes recounting their childhood and remembering special moments from Hogwarts. Sirius had kept the conversation away from Lily, knowing that James would take a long time to get over never seeing her again. Sirius had watched their love grow into something special. He had been there for them at the time of their engagement; their wedding; when Harry had been born and even when they had gone into hiding.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" James asked. "I mean, what with me supposed to be dead and all."

"Yes, but Harry is arriving soon. It is best the Order knew. After the meeting I will escort you to the Ministry where you can prove to the Minister that you are not dead. I will explain more after the meeting."

James nodded. "Where shall I go?" he asked.

The Headmaster pointed to the shadows of the room at the side. "You will not be seen there, I promise you, until I say so."

James made his way to the other side of the room, into the shadows sitting down into the chair placed there. Within minutes the Order began piling into the room. Sirius greeted a few of them, but most of the people James glanced at, he did not recognise. _Where are Frank and Alice? _James wondered. He and Lily had been good friends with the Longbottom's for many years. Frank had been an Auror, the same as James, but had been a few years ahead of him. The two of them had fought side-by-side on several occasions.

He hoped nothing had happened to them. Maybe they weren't part of the Order anymore, but perhaps they were dead, just like he had been. They'd had a son as well….Nigel…James thought. Was it Nigel? His thoughts was cut off as Dumbledore began to speak.

"Thank you all for coming on such short notice," he spread his arms wide, "We have all pledged to work together to defeat Voldemort and to help the innocent. At this moment, the Ministry does not see fit that the Dark Lord has indeed returned. He thinks he has an advantage over us, but the Order of the Phoenix is stronger then Lord Voldemort put together. We stand on courage to protect those was call family…he fights to take that privilege away from us.

"Fourteen years ago, the Dark Lord destroyed the lives of two very special people."

James tensed.

Dumbledore took a deep breath before continuing. "On the 31st October 1981, Voldemort murdered James and Lily Potter. Three days ago, a miracle happened." He paused, casting a meaningful glance at the Order's members, "James Potter is alive. He was brought back from death by the wishes of his son. I found James outside Godric's Hollow and brought him here." Here the headmaster turned to where James sat, "James, if you could please stand."

James took a deep, steadying breath, stood up and walked towards Dumbledore. The crowd gasp when they saw him.

"Unbelievable…"

"Amazing…."

"Impossible…"

"….Death Eater in disguise…."

"….trick…."

Those were just some of the things James was associated with on his walk to the podium. He caught Sirius eye and grinned. James' black hair fell into his eyes, and he cursed, brushing it out of the way.

"Members of the Order of the Phoenix, I would like you to welcome James Potter back."

Someone shouted: "How do we know its him?"

Dumbledore was about to answer when James spoke. "Because I have seen death and survived. If I could I would choose to remain dead because that is where I should be. I do not know what powers brought me back into this world, but I do know it was for my son. Harry is dear to me, and so was - and still is - Lily. I will never forget my dearest wife. She and Harry meant everything to me. To hear that Harry lived is remarkable…to know that I can see him is something no one in this world has ever seen. Life is the greatest thing you can have. A second chance…I don't deserve it…but I have been given the gift of life. I want what's best for my son. If I could, I'd turn back time to make things right. Harry deserves better then this…no one should have the fate that he's got."

Silence.

Complete and utter silence.

The words James had spoken had a profound effect on the Order. He didn't know whether he had convinced them…

…until someone of the crowd muttered: "If he isn't James Potter, why would he sound so pained?"

James was in pain. Talking, even a little bit of Lily, had sent sadness and emotion running through him. He wanted to shut it all out…but how could he forget her? His Lily. His dearest Lily. How could she be gone? She didn't deserve to die. Tears wanted to fall but James wouldn't let them.

Dumbledore sensing James' distress motioned for him to leave. Other details needed to be discussed. As he crossed the room, James caught sight of Severus Snape. His dark eyes were gleaming in hatred but also of denial. Obviously he was one of the few who could not believe James was truly alive.

_Typical. _

James walked silently through the house. He was on his way upstairs when he mistakenly heard the sounds of the Front Door being unlocked. Curious he moved back down the stairs, but a red haired woman rushed towards the door, silently, waving at James to go.

"Upstairs, to your room! You mustn't be seen!"

"Why?" James croaked.

"It's Harry! He doesn't know!"

James was about to argue but he decided obeying would be better. He made his way to his room. He had no wand. _I need one, desperately. _

It was silent. He had no one talk to. Sirius was still at the meeting. His son had no clue he was even alive, yet alone here.

A full five minutes passed while James dwelled on the past. He couldn't help but wonder what life could've been like had Peter never betrayed them. _Lily would still be alive. We would have lots of kids as well. _

Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice echoed up the stairs. James sat up. Angry words, spoken by an angry teenager. It had to be Harry.

"_SO YOU HAVEN'T BEEN IN THE MEETINGS, BIG DEAL! YOU'VE STILL BEEN HERE, HAVEN'T YOU? YOU'VE STILL BEEN TOGETHER! ME, I'VE BEEN STUCK AT THE DURSLEYS' FOR A MONTH! AND I'VE HANDLED MORE THEN YOU TWO'VE EVER MANAGED AND DUMBLEDORE KNOWS IT - WHO SAVED THE PHILOSPHER'S STONE? WHO GOT RID OF RIDDLE? WHO SAVED BOTH YOUR SKINS FROM THE DEMENTORS?"_

Whoever was shouting was really angry. James sighed. The shouting continued and then stopped altogether. Finally the pattering of feet was heard on the stairs and doors were opened and shut. James was alone. Once again, it was silent.

* * *

It seemed like forever that James waited, but at last Dumbledore walked into his room, smiling, happily. "Your son has arrived and is now downstairs being informed of several details." 

"Does he know about me?" James asked.

Dumbledore shook his head. "Not yet. Remus Lupin will inform him as soon as possible."

James scowled.

"However, the more important issue is to go to the Ministry and get you registered."

"Is it possible for me to apply to be an Auror again?" James wondered, locking eyes with the Headmaster.

Dumbledore frowned. "Since the Ministry has been degrading Harry and I recently, I do think it is unlikely that you'll be accepted back into the Aurors, but you can try. Cornelius is likely to label you insane and incompetent since you have been dead for fourteen years, but I daresay he may consider it."

"We just have to hope then," James allowed a small smile to cross his features.

"And James, when we come back, Harry will know that you are here. You will be able to see him," Dumbledore said, "And let me say something, James. Harry is very like you. In fact, I believe I have told him on numerous occasions, how much he looks like you."

James beamed. He and Lily had known that their son would look exactly like James. "Still green eyes?"

"He has. Harry is also very understanding in some situations. It was him, after all, that spared Pettigrew's life when he first met him. I know that Lily would've understood his actions and so would you, but Harry has more of Lily in him then he truly knows. You will see that in him when you speak to him."

"I still miss her," James mumbled, "Lily…Oh god, how can I live without her." he snapped his head up. "Harry. Our son is the last remaining part of her that I have left in the world. I just can't believe she's not here to meet Harry with me."

"She's always been here, James."

"What?"

"Lily. She lives on inside Harry through the protection that she gave him. It is her strength and her willingness to die for her son, saved her from death. Yes…she died and can never return…but the ones who we love the most never leave us. Lily lives on in Harry…and through you by her memory of her. Life may be hard, James, but not everything can be the way we want it to be. Fate intended for you to come back…I don't think that Harry's wish was a part of things."

James looked puzzled. "But he wished for me."

"Not for you," Dumbledore replied, shaking his head, "He wished for someone…the fates granted you a second life…and I can't explain that. No one in history has ever returned from death."

"Will we ever know?"

Dumbledore shrugged. "I do not know. We'll have to see how the years play out, won't we."

Sighing James stood up. "Should we go?" He didn't want to sit here talking about death. It reminded him too much of Lily. She was dead. Gone. Her short life had been filled with sorrow but also of happiness.

"Yes, of course." Dumbledore led the way, down the hallway, until they came to a door. He opened this and stepped into a middle-sized room. A fire place sat into the wall. Dumbledore pulled powder out of his pocket.

"We're travelling by Floo?" James said.

"Yes. You'll need to take your Apparating test again, just to make sure that you are capable of it. Until then, you will use Floo."

"Fine," James hated Floo Powder. Apparating was much easier and faster. At least you wouldn't get stuck in a fireplace (unless, he mused, you're trying to get into a Muggle house).

Dumbledore handed James the powder. "Go on."

Taking a deep breath, James threw the powder into the fire. The flames turned green. "Ministry of Magic!" James declared and stepped into the fire. He felt himself spinning and whirling. Tucking his elbows in, James felt his breath being sucked from his body. He gritted his teeth, trying to memorise what Harry was going to look like when he saw him.

Suddenly he fell forward, coughing and splattering. He was laying on his front in a small room within the Ministry. The door, if he remembered correctly, led out into the Atrium. However the security was tight and if anyone Flooed into the Ministry who looked suspicious then the door wouldn't open for them. It was simple but a sure solution to ensure that no Death Eaters could get inside.

Dumbledore appeared, rolling out of the fireplace with accurate precision. He stood straight to his feet, rubbing the dust off of his robes.

The headmaster walked confidently towards the door, pushed it open and stepped out into the Atrium. James followed. Dumbledore whispered to him. "I've cast a spell on you. No one will know you are here. They will just turn a blind eye. Fudge won't. I'll remove the spell before then."

"Okay." James could understand why Dumbledore was resorting to this. Security. He probably didn't want people thinking that James Potter was a Death Eater in disguise. The Ministry looked exactly the same as it had done. Wizards everywhere were rushing to and from the lifts; shouting across to each other; while memos zoomed around creating disturbance as they rushed to find their respective owners.

James whistled softly.

Dumbledore began walking away from him. Stepping in beside the old wizard, James soon found himself standing outside the Minister of Magic's office on the ninth floor. Dumbledore turned to the secretary and spoke in a calm, clear voice.

"Albus Dumbledore, here to see Minister Fudge on urgent business."

The Witch eyed Dumbledore up and down before emitting him entrance. She wisely advised: "I think it might be best you don't say anything too rational that will upset him, Albus."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, however he walked forward, confidently; James following.

Cornelius Fudge looked up from his stack of paperwork as Dumbledore entered. His eyes narrowed. "What are you doing here?"

"I've got an important announcement to make."

"Well, out with it then." Fudge declared, "I haven't got all day, you know!"

"Might I introduce, James Potter." Dumbledore waved his wand at James, and the spell keeping him invisible was removed. Fudge gasped, shock evident in his features.

"This is impossible." Fudge breathed. "He isn't James Potter. James Potter was murdered fourteen years ago by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."

James felt anger brewing again. He felt insulted. How dare someone call him a liar! He had never liked Fudge. Always thought him to be a brainless, self-absorbing idiot, with no brains in his thick head. He hissed in response: "I am James Potter."

"And how can we clarify this? How do I know this is no trick?" Fudge asked, a triumphant gleam in his eyes.

James was about to answer when Dumbledore stepped in. "I have confirmation of James' identity. If you are willing, Cornelius, James will take Veritaserum, to prove he is who he say he is."

_I never said I'd do that! _However James was not one to disagree. If taking that potion proved who he was, then he would do it. He trusted Dumbledore's judgement.

Fudge seemed to think about it before ordering his secretary to bring a cup of Veritaserum to him as well as all the information they had of James Potter and Lily Evans. Once everything was ready, James drank the potion (without tea) gulping it down, attempting to ignore the taste that settled in his mouth. He wanted to throw-up but forced himself to remain calm and wait for the potion to start taking affect.

After five minutes, the potion was in full force, raging through James' body. His mind seemed blank. Then the Minister's voice floated into his consciousness.

"Who are you?"

"James Christopher Potter."

"When were you born?"

"24th April 1960."

"Who was your parents?"

"Harold Harry Potter and Natalie Leanne Davis."

"When were they born?"

"Harold was born on 14th August 1932," James stated, "and Natalie was born on 29th January 1932."

"What was your occupation?"

"I was an Auror under the tutelage of Alastor Moody in 1980."

"When did you graduate from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?"

"2nd July 1978."

"What school house did you belong do?"

"Gryffindor."

"Who did you marry?"

"Lily Rose Evans."

"What are her parent's names?"

"Paul Gavin Evans and Sue Fleur Porter." James replied.

Fudge was getting desperate. "And when were they born?" He expected James to hesitate, or make a mistake, however he was proven wrong. James answered accurately.

"What is the name of your son?"

"Harry James Potter."

"When was he born?"

"July 31st 1980." James said.

"Who was your Secret-Keeper?"

"Peter Pettigrew." James answered automatically.

Fudge jumped up in triumph. "Got you! Peter Pettigrew was not your Secret Keeper, Sirius Black was!"

Dumbledore replied before James could (though he couldn't really answer until he got a question or the antidote).

"Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew swapped at the last minute. Peter betrayed Lily and James to Voldemort, not Sirius."

"Preposterous!" Fudge declared. "Then why did Black admit he had killed them!"

"He was in shock. Losing his best friend like that does something to a man. I didn't know until a few days ago, myself." Dumbledore didn't want to add to the fact that he had known for years. It would look like he had been consorting with murderers. "He blamed himself for failing James. I think Cornelius you should drop the charges against Sirius Black. He is innocent and until you hear him out, he won't willingly show himself."

"You know where he is don't you?"

"No, I do not, however I have contacts who have ideas as to where he could be hiding. Hear his side of the story out, Fudge, before you condemn an innocent man to hell."

"He still has the murder of the Muggles to answer for and he can't worm himself out of that one. No, Dumbledore, I will not do that."

"Then at least admit that James Potter is alive." Dumbledore pointed out.

Fudge glared at James. "I have no choice in the matter. He's answered every single question correctly." He sighed. "Until further proof is given, I'm going to have to say that this is James Christopher Potter."

* * *

"How can he not let me be an Auror?" James asked. 

"I don't think he truly believes you are James Potter, even though all evidence suggests to it. Until Cornelius decides to admit Voldemort is back, you are going to have to work on the side with the Order."

James bit his lip to stop himself from openly cursing Fudge. Shortly after Fudge had reluctantly accepted the truth of James' identity he had made a statement to the Ministry informing the Wizarding World that James Potter was alive. The news would be out by tomorrow morning, printed in the Daily Prophet. As they walked through the Ministry, James received glances from curious onlookers but neither of them wanted to approach them.

_Probably can't believe a dead man has come back to life._

"And what about Sirius? Why can't we clear him of all charges?"

"He can be cleared of the Secret Keeper charge which Cornelius has done so, but he can't clear him of the murder of twelve Muggles and Pettigrew. Without proof, Fudge is unwilling to accept it. Sirius will just have to remain hidden until Peter is caught, or his body is found."

"Are you suggesting that Voldemort would kill him?"

"Yes, James, I am."

"Oh."

* * *

"Harry, can we have a word with you?" Remus asked lightly. 

Harry nodded and followed Remus out of the room. Sirius was waiting for them in the sitting room, lounging on a black, leather chair.

"What's this all about?" Harry asked, as he made himself comfortable. He was finding it hard to stop himself from squirming. Since arriving at Grimmauld Place, Harry had the suspicion that the others knew of something big.

"Harry," Remus began, "we've got news for you. And you might not believe it."

Sirius continued. "You made a wish didn't you? To have someone guide you?"

Harry nodded, not really understanding where this was going.

"Well, it sort of," here Sirius shuffled in his seat, "brought your father, James, back to life."

"What?" Harry was stunned. His eyes darted from the two men. "This has to be some joke! My dad's dead! You know that!"

"We thought so too," Remus replied, "but Dumbledore found him outside Godric's Hollow. James is alive. We've seen him, and he knows things that only James would have the knowledge of. It is without a doubt, Harry, that your father is alive."

**TBC**

**Sorry to leave you on a cliff-hanger like that…Harry will meet James next chapter. And it won't be all tears either…I just don't see Harry crying over meeting his father. You'll have to find out on Wednesday. **

**Thank you's to the following people for their review: **RoschLupin-Black; amrawo; twinsrthebest; sirius-black-sfan; IamSiriusgrl; padfootqueen; HandsOff; jjeeff185; Werewolfs are People Too; kokomocalifornia; Kim Kotchanski **and **mpotter1.

**Responses: **

**maya100: **_I hope Fudge's reaction was what you expected it to be. And don't worry I've worked out a way for Sirius to remain in the story if people wish it. _

**VladLycan: **_Lily is dead and cannot come back. James being alive will not help clear Sirius because he is wanted for the murders of the Muggles and Pettigrew, and James was dead at the time of that happening, so unfortunately he cannot be cleared, until proof that Pettigrew did it is found. Sorry. _

**HarryPotterknoitall: **_Is this chapter long enough for you? This will hopefully be the length the chapters will begin to get to now. Thank you for your review!_

**Lady Taliesin: **_Thank you for your comments. Once again they were a pleasure to read: (I can't believe you thought the characterisation was excellent. I was hoping to show Sirius as a sarcastic sort of person and I thought he wouldn't be able to resist the urge to say something about Peter. I am hoping to stay true to the characters that JKRowling portrayed in the books but at the same time making them my own characters. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!_

**ambereyes2873: **_Fudge bashing! (author falls off chair laughing). I don't think there was exactly that, but he was being a bit of a jerk though…_

**magicgirl45852: **_Did you join my Yahoo Group? I was just wondering what name you used. That way I can send you messages through the group informing you of new updates on the group and the progress of the story. Thank you for reading!_

**Silverspecter: **_Did you get my review for your story? I thought it was really good, and I am looking forward to your next fic. And (I can't remember if I said this in your review or not,) but I don't mind ghosts._

**LiLaZnGrLy: **_I update on Wednesdays and at the weekends. If I update early then it'll be because I know I won't be around to upload another chapter. Thank you for adding me to your Author Alert List and Favourites. _

**littlewolf-moony: **_I see Hogwarts as being the most magically attuned place and I feel personally as an author the castle must know when a great student (like James Potter) perishes. Dumbledore, who was at the castle at the time of James reincarnation witnessed this event through the castle because it recognised James' signature coming back. It will be explained better in a later date but not yet. If it is confusing e-mail me and I'll try and explain in better detail for you outside a review and responses. Sirius and Remus didn't act cheerfully because they were weary of James and did not entirely trust him until he proved to them that he truly was James Potter. I hope you liked the chapter and it was quite long for you. _

**SeriousSiriusFan: **_Okay, I probably shouldn't have said what I did regarding Sirius. You've already convinced me not to kill of Sirius so to please all the SIRIUS FANS out there I will change the ending, only if the plot of Book Six allows it. I plan to take this fic through Books 5 and 6 and maybe 7 depending on when it is released. But I have set up a Sirius story-line to follow if Book Six works out accordingly. But then I may have to kill someone close to Harry, because JKROWLING did say Sirius died for a reason. We'll just have to find out how Book 6 goes before I can make any promises regarding Sirius' future in this fic. Sorry, but I will try not to kill him. I hope this doesn't put you off reading this fic just because I can't say whether he'll die or not. Thank you for your review. _

**Next chapter: **Harry and James meet; and a few articles are published in the Daily Prophet….**due on Wednesday.**

**Thank you for the support so far on this story! It's amazing reading all of your comments and thoughts. **

**MissBlackPotter**


	6. Father and Son

**A/N) The chapter people have all been waiting for: James meets Harry! I'm not sure how good the meeting is, but I think I may have written it a bit fast. I've tried my best with this chapter. It was exceptionally hard to write, considering their reactions to each other and what they say. I think I wrote this chapter three times before I was satisfied with it. **

**I hope you enjoy this chapter….**

* * *

**Prongs Rides Again**

**Chapter Six: Father and Son**

_How can this be possible? _

Those five words ran through his mind, consuming every thought. His father. How was it possible for James Potter, the man who had died fighting Voldemort, was alive? Harry was under the impression that wishes never came true, but it appeared that the fates had granted Harry this one small wish. James Potter had died on 31st October 1981; fourteen years later, he was suddenly alive.

"I can't believe it," he finally managed to say, "how?"

"Dumbledore doesn't know," Remus shrugged, "I think you've got the headmaster officially flummoxed. He was certainly surprised through."

"What…." Harry asked, "is dad like?" It was unbelievable, but if it was true he would at last have a family. Could he really believe what Sirius and Remus say? Yes, he could. Would they ever lie to him over something so major as this? _No, they wouldn't. They have my best interests at heart. If my father is truly alive then I have a right to know…_

"Now?"

Harry nodded.

Remus exchanged a glance with Sirius, frowning. He didn't know what to say; luckily Sirius saved him. "He's changed. James has seen death and returned. Part of him misses Lily. I do not think it is wise to speak of her around him, at least, until he wants to."

"I wouldn't anyway. If he loved her that much…" Harry trailed off, unsure of what to say.

"He did…in fact he still does…you can see it in his eyes." Muttered Sirius. He sighed. "Lily shouldn't have deserved to die like that."

Harry turned his mother's eyes on his Godfather. "You sound as if you loved her?"

Sirius laughed. "No, Harry, don't be silly. Lily was a special person. You couldn't help loving her. She was that type of person. James saw it in her the moment he first saw her. It took us ages to get him to admit he liked her."

"What? He didn't want to, then?"

"Of course not. James didn't know what to do about his feelings for Lily. He loved her the moment he set eyes upon her but we were only eleven. You don't plan your future wife at that age. James was different. He was always sure Lily would be the one for him."

Remus smiled lightly. "And she was."

"James was so happy when she said yes. He was afraid she'd say no when he asked her to marry him."

"But she didn't." Harry added.

"Yeah….the wedding was a day I will remember forever." Remus answered. He looked at his watch. "They should be back by now."

"They?" Harry questioned.

"Oh, yes, Dumbledore took James to the Ministry to clarify that he is alive," Sirius grinned, "I wonder what old Cornelius will say."

Suddenly a thought struck Harry. "Won't they be able to clear your name?"

Sirius shook his head, sadness creeping evidently into his face. "No."

"Why not?" Harry whined.

"Because," Sirius growled, "our esteemed Minister of Magic will not lift the charges of murdering thirteen _innocent _people from me just because James Potter is alive. He was dead then. He had nothing to do with it. Besides Cornelius would rather give me the Dementor's Kiss then freedom."

Harry swallowed. "Do you think you'll ever be freed?"

"Probably not, unless little rat Peter got a conscience, which I highly doubt he will. My chances of freedom are less then zero."

"Uh, Padfoot, there is no number less then zero save negative numbers and I doubt they count." Remus said, a mischievous shine in his eyes.

Sirius glared. "Shut up, Moony."

Harry laughed.

* * *

James was nervous. More nervous then he had been in ages. He and Dumbledore had arrived back at Grimmauld Place thirty minutes ago and since then he had been left alone. Dumbledore had told him that he was going to fetch Harry. 

_What was taking so long? _

All James wanted to do was to see his son. He hadn't seen him since he was a baby. Perhaps something had happened to Harry…perhaps he didn't believe the others about his father? What if Harry thought he was a fraud?

_No_, James thought firmly, _he would not think that. He's just shocked. Just like I was when I found out I'd been dead for fourteen years. _

He pulled a hand through his hair, making it even more messier then it had been. He grimaced. _Someone really needs to tell old Granddad Potter that he should've had short hair that was easy to comb. _

There came a knock at his door, and James jumped. Heart beating fast he strode across the room and opened it. Standing in the door way was a tall, thin, black-haired boy, with green eyes shining out at him, from behind bespectacled glasses.

His son.

Harry.

* * *

Remus and Sirius led Harry down the hallway to James' room. The fifteen year old was still reeling from the shock but had agreed to go and meet his father (after some persuasion from Sirius and Remus). 

Harry was scared; his stomach felt like jelly. The prospect of meeting his father was so unreal. How could it be possible? A thought struck him. Would his father even like him?

_Don't think things like that Harry. _

He gulped, stopping the nausea that rose in the pit of his stomach. His hands shook and two roads opened up before him.

The first one was to stand by his father and welcome him into his life, or run away in terror, but Harry was not a Gryffindor for nothing. He swallowed his fear, and levelled his shoulders.

"Nervous?" Sirius asked.

Harry nodded before he could stop himself. "A bit."

"Don't worry. I'm sure James is as well." Remus supplied.

The three stopped outside a door, and exchanging glances with their young charge, Sirius and Remus departed leaving Harry to stand alone outside the door, feeling confused and worried that it wasn't his father inside. Taking a deep breath, he raised a knuckled hand and knocked.

A moment's silence…

…and then the pounding of feet rushing across the floor.

Harry tensed, his right hand grasped firmly round his wand that lay in his pocket.

The door opened, and Harry Potter stared at his father.

James Potter looked exactly like he did in Harry's photo's of him. His hair was messier then Harry's (who had brushed it, but failed miserably in the attempt); his eyes (instead of green) were hazel; and he was tall and thin, just like Harry.

No sound came from the two young men.

Finally Harry got the courage to say: "Hi, dad."

* * *

"Hi, dad." 

James was startled out of his reverie by his son's voice. He reached out a hand and gently stroked Harry's face, who tried not to feel too unnerved. "You're real…" James whispered. Tears formed in his eyes, "Lily would be so proud of what you've grown into…"

It was in that moment that Harry realised that this was his father. No one would break apart like that over Lily. He truly was in pain. He acted.

Harry walked forward, and hugged his father tenderly. It took mere seconds for James to react. He wrapped his arms round Harry, hugging him fiercely as if he wouldn't let him go. He whispered: "I won't let anything bad happen to you again."

Harry did not have the heart to disagree but instead held tightly. He had never been hugged (that he could remember) by his parents, and it seemed a blessing that he could do it.

"I can't believe you are alive," James continued, "I thought you were gone…dead…"

Harry smiled lightly. "No." he pulled back, lifting up his fringe, exposing the scar.

James gasped. Gingerly he reached out with a finger and traced the lightening bolt scar. He gulped. How could his son cope with that? Dumbledore had told him that the scar connected Harry to Voldemort, yet how could Harry stand the thought of that? Did it not affect him?

Harry seemed to sense his thoughts for he answered the unspoken question. "My scar hurts when Voldemort is near or is angry. It's not very often." He reassured James.

"I've missed you." James said. He sat Harry on the bed, and looked at him properly, placing his hands on Harry's face. "You've grown so much."

"It's been fourteen years, dad." Harry replied.

"Fourteen." James mumbled. "I never thought I'd see you again."

They were silent. James found himself staring into Harry's eyes, for they reminded him so much of Lily. His heart clenched but he forced the emotions away. _No…I won't think of her…_

"So…if you didn't live with Sirius, where did you go?"

Harry had known this would come. He sighed. "The Dursley's." He might as well get it over with now that his father had asked.

"The Dursleys?" James questioned. And then it hit him. "THE DURSLEYS?"

Harry flinched. "Yeah," he said sheepishly, messing up the back of his hair.

"Lily's sister?"

Harry nodded. _I may as well get it over with. _"They don't like me very much."

"What? Why?" James exclaimed. But then he remembered that neither Petunia or Vernon Dursley had liked him very much. They had thought him a freak. "They didn't call you a freak, did they?"

"They did and they locked me in a cupboard because of it." Harry mentioned.

Dumbfounded, James struggled to find words: "My son….cupboard…how could they?…unbelievable…"

Harry shrugged. "It's no big deal, really. Since I went to Hogwarts they've been treating me better. They're scared of me."

"They should be," James said darkly, "No one messes with my son…"

"Don't do it, dad."

"Why?"

"Because going to them will only make it worse. Promise me you won't go and do anything to them."

James sighed, annoyed. "I promise." _If Harry hadn't made me promise I would go there right now and curse them until they admitted they are sorry for making my son's life hell._

"Good." Harry smiled. One of the hard parts was over, now he needed to tell James about the rest of his school years.

And then it began.

Harry informed James about the Philosopher's Stone; the Chamber of Secrets; the finding and escaping of Peter Pettigrew and finally Voldemort's return.

Harry paused in his explanation when he came to the part when he had seen his parents emerge from Voldemort's wand.

James caught his hesitation. "What happened?"

"The wands…they're brothers so they don't work against each other. The spells connected and Priori Incantatem happened."

James was confused. He had never heard of that saying before. Was it a new spell?

Harry continued. "Priori Incantatem forces another wand to redo their spells. In this case Voldemort's wand did that. Shadows of…of the people Voldemort had murdered came out of his wand." Here Harry struggled to speak. "You and mum appeared."

"I don't remember." James replied.

Harry shook his head sadly. "I don't think you would. Dumbledore told me it was an echo. A living shadow of what you used to be."

"Oh…"

"You helped me escape…or your shadows did. You, mum, Bertha, an old man and Cedric gave me advice. You held off Voldemort giving me the chance to get back to Hogwarts. And that is what happened…" Harry finished.

James moved closer to his son and wrapped an arm round him. "Oh god, Harry, I can't believe you've gone through so much because of your scar. I won't let Voldemort harm you again."

"That might be hard. He wants me dead, dad, and one of these days he'll succeed. I can't keep avoiding him forever."

"I won't let him take you away from me. I will protect you…I promise you Harry…before Voldemort can do anything to you, I will be there to stop him. So will Sirius and Remus. We would die before anything could happen to you."

"I know." Harry said, leaning his head against his father's shoulder and closing his eyes. For the first time in weeks, Harry was truly happy. He had someone he could rely on; someone who could be there for him when he needed them. James would not leave him, he was sure of that.

* * *

"Dad," Harry said, pulling his father into the room he shared with Ron, "I want you to meet my best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger." 

Molly Weasley had told Ron and Hermione about James Potter's return but neither had thought it possible, not until James walked into Harry's room.

"Oh my goodness…" Hermione said, surprised.

Ron was speechless.

"Hi," James grinned, "James Potter at your service." He bowed.

"You really are Harry's father!" squealed Hermione.

"How?" Ron managed.

James shrugged. Both had agreed to not tell the two about Harry's wish.

"Don't know," Harry supplied.

"I just woke up. Next thing I know I'm meeting my son." James said. "Harry's told me so much about you. Ron, I know you are loyal to Harry beyond anything. Just like Sirius was to me and still is. Hermione, what Harry tells me of you is reminiscent of Lily. Very brainy; a Muggle-born."

Hermione blushed. To be complimented by James Potter in such a way was surprising. Knowing nothing of Lily and realising that he still hurt over her death, James had shown remarkable courage in sizing her up to Lily. "Thank you, Mr Potter."

James stuck his tongue out. "Please, don't call me Mr Potter. It makes me feel old."

"How old are you?" Ron asked.

"Twenty-one."

Ron gasped. "Twenty-one!"

"In fourteen years I haven't aged, mainly because I haven't been here."

Hermione crossed her arms, and glared at Ron. "Honestly, Harry's dad is still going to be the same age he was when he died!"

"I didn't know that!" retorted Ron angrily.

James whispered to Harry. "Do they always argue?"

"Frequently."

"Just like Lily and I." James said dreamily.

"What…?" Harry wondered aloud, but James silenced him. "Not now."

Harry gave his father a suspicious look but decided to save his questions for later. Had Lily hated James?

Ron and Hermione were still arguing. Both seemed to have forgotten James and Harry present in the room, until Harry made a noise in his throat and Hermione shushed Ron when she nodded in their direction.

"Sorry Harry." Hermione mumbled.

"Got a bit carried away." Ron admitted, feeling embarrassed.

James answered, "It's okay. Lily and I used to shout at each other all the time."

"Oh…" Hermione trailed off, feeling bad that she had caused James to remember his deceased wife.

"Didn't you get along, then?" Ron asked.

Hermione elbowed him. "Ron! I don't think he wants to talk about it!"

James shook his head. "Look, it's okay. It's quite nice talking to you about Lily. It's when I'm alone that it's bad." he smiled. "And to answer your question: Lily hated me. I was, well, how can you put it? An arrogant prat when it came to her. I showed off all the time: I thought I was impressing her. It wasn't until I became Head-boy in last year that I settled down and stopped cursing every other student that I came across, that Lily eventually came to love me for who I _really _was."

"At least…" Hermione began but was cut off as Ron blurted out: "You were Head-boy?"

Grinning, James added: "Yeah…I was Head-Boy…and Lily was Head-Girl…which is why she got to know me better."

Suddenly Mrs Weasley shouted up the stairs claiming that dinner was ready.

"We'd better go down, hadn't we?" James said, making his way to the door.

Harry followed but turned back when he noticed his friends weren't following. "Aren't you coming?"

"We'll be down in a minute." Hermione said.

Shrugging Harry joined his father and the two walked down into the kitchen, together.

* * *

The following morning, Tonks brought the Daily Prophet round for the occupants of Grimmauld Place to read. The front page read as thus: 

**REVEALED: JAMES POTTER - ALIVE OR DEAD? **

**Reported by Rita Skeeter**

**It is not every day that a dead man comes back to life: and neither they should, especially if they have been gone for over fourteen years. However, it is apparent that not even death can stop James Potter, the father of the _famous Harry Potter_, can remain dead. In a bizarre twist of events, Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, recently confronted Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge with a 'look-alike' James Potter. **

**Questioned by the Minister, the man claiming to be Harry Potter's father, was eventually found to be who he says he is by the Minister as he answered questions thrown at him under the influence of Veritaersrum to assume his true identity. It is without a doubt though, that James Potter has indeed returned from the dead.**

**How, even our experts can't say how this miracle came about. Did James Potter really die? Or has he been in hiding for the past fourteen years? **

**Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge reports: "James Potter was a worthy Auror at the beginning of the Eighties, a very smart young man with an undeniably bright future ahead of him. Tragically it was cut short by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. I have no idea how James Potter has miraculously returned but I can clarify that he IS James Potter." **

**But what we must really ask ourselves: is James Potter sane enough to be accepted back into society? **

"Does she always write articles like this?" James asked, after reading the article a second time.

Harry sighed. "Yeah. She wrote loads of stuff about me last year."

James' eyes darkened. "That cow."

"She can't write anything about Harry though or anything nasty like she used to." Hermione piped up.

"Why?"

Hermione grinned. "We found out a secret about Rita Skeeter that we can bribe her with." she whispered this to James so that others in the kitchen couldn't hear her. "She's an Animagus - unregistered - just like you. She can still write stories as long as she doesn't write anything horrible. This article is okay for her. Rita is just reporting what Cornelius said."

"Oh…" James said. He turned to Harry. "What did she print about you?"

"Horrible stuff," Harry replied, "Saying that I was a disturbed teenager who was attention seeking."

"My son: an attention seeker!" James roared, "How can she say something like that?"

Harry shrugged. "It doesn't matter. If she breaks her promise…we let her secret out. She doesn't want that."

"Good thinking." James smiled.

Hermione was flicking through the Daily Prophet while Harry had finished speaking to his father. As her intense eyes scanned the pages she read an article and she yelped out loud. "Hey, there's something about Sirius in here!"

"What does it say?" James and Sirius said at exactly the same time.

Hermione read:

**SIRIUS BLACK: INNOCENT or GUILTY? **

**Reported by Francis Downright**

**For fourteen years witches and wizards of the world have believed Sirius Black to be a dangerous murderer, but new evidence brought into the light by James Potter could suggest otherwise. On 24th October 1981, Sirius Black became the Potter's Secret Keeper under the Fidelius Charm. Within him was concealed the location of James and Lily Potter. On the 31st October 1981 He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named murdered Lily and James Potter at their home in Godric's Hollow. Evidence supplied by Albus Dumbledore informed the Ministry that Black had been the Potter's Secret Keeper, and therefore had betrayed their whereabouts to You-Know-Who. **

**With the resurrection of James Potter, new evidence has come into the light. Under the influence of Veritaserum (the truth Potion) James Potter has clarified that it was Peter Pettigrew who was their Secret Keeper. On the 1st November 1981, Black killed Pettigrew and twelve Muggles, blowing up half of the street. **

**The Ministry of Magic automatically assumed that Black had murdered the Muggles, but what if he didn't? It has also been revealed that Black was an Auror at the time, so if he had been a servant of the Dark Arts surely he would bear the Dark Mark. Evidence suggests that he has not the symbol of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. **

**Kingsley Shacklebolt, who is in charge of capturing Black, reveals: "Sirius Black was never given a full trial: he was sent straight to Azkaban. He was never heard out by the Minister. For all we know, what we think happened, could not have really occurred. In order for us, as Aurors, to solve this mystery and to find out what really happened that night, we have to get a confession from Black. He is proving difficult to capture. Unless the Minister is willing to drop the sentence of 'if he is captured, he will have the Dementor's Kiss' then I am willing to bet Sirius Black will not show himself." **

**The Minister of Magic declined to comment. **

**What we must ask ourselves is this: Is Sirius Black an innocent soul? If he was an Auror, and friends with James Potter would he really murder twelve innocent Muggles, when his job was to protect them? Other evidence supports that he is innocent was his childhood. _The Daily Prophet_ can exclusively reveal that Black was disowned by his parents at the age of sixteen when he ran away from home to go and live with the Potters. **

**Are these really the actions of a murderer? Only time will tell if the truth will ever be revealed. **

"At least someone is willing to hear my side of the story." Sirius muttered, a small smile pulling at his lips.

James patted his friend on the back. "You never know, if we drum off enough support from the public, we might just be able to get Fudge to overturn your sentence."

Sirius snorted. "Maybe, but I doubt they are going to believe this article. Perhaps you should go round broadcasting your memories to show people what a nice guy I am."

James laughed. "As if that would work."

Harry was re-reading the article and his eyes widened as he read the second to last paragraph.

"You ran away from home?" Harry questioned looked at his Godfather.

Sirius shrugged. "I'd had enough."

"What was wrong with your family?" Hermione asked. "Were they like the Malfoys?"

Sirius flinched. "Worse, in a way."

"How?" Harry asked. James sniggered.

"My parents supported the Dark Arts. Everyone in my family became a Death Eater, marching at Voldemort's side. My parents didn't but they fully supported Voldemort's cause. They thought his morals were right," he sighed, his blue-grey eyes becoming distant.

"Thinking about Regulus again?" James teased, a grin splitting his face.

Sirius shook his head. "Yeah. Stupid kid really."

"Who's Regulus?" Harry asked.

"My little brother."

Harry's eyes widened. "Your brother? Was he a Death Eater to?"

Sirius nodded. "He wasn't a bad kid. He followed the right path in the end."

"Where's he now?"

"Dead." Sirius supplied.

"Dead?" Hermione asked.

"Regulus panicked about what he was being asked to do. He tried to back out, unfortunately, it's a life time of service or death. Regulus was killed," Sirius remembered, "I'm the last pure Black left. My cousins all married into the old Wizarding families."

"Apart from Andromeda." James said.

"Andromeda?"

"Andromeda Black. She married a Muggle-born. Ted Tonks. She is officially the black sheep of the family. Blood-traitor." Explained Sirius.

"Tonks?" Harry said, "Does that make Nymphadora Tonks your second cousin?"

"Yes."

James suddenly laughed out load, nearly falling from his chair.

"What's up with you Prongs?" Sirius asked, eyebrows raised in amusement.

"Sorry, Padfoot, I was just remembering the time when Andromeda caught you cursing her sisters."

Sirius grinned as the memory came back to him. "Oh yeah…dear cousins Bella and Cissa." He grinned nastily.

"Bella and Cissa?" Hermione pointed out.

"Bellatrix, Andromeda and Narcissa are all sisters," Sirius explained, "Bellatrix is married to Rodolphus Lestrange: both are in Azkaban now, and still loyal to Voldemort. And Narcissa married Lucius Malfoy."

"WHAT?" Harry shouted. "You're related to Draco Malfoy?"

"We're not that close, Harry."

"Yeah, but still…I can't believe that!"

Hermione folded her arms. "You said that you were cursing them?"

James giggled. "Yeah. Bella had said something about Padfoot's girlfriend. We were in sixth year; Bella in seventh. Andromeda was in fifth, with Narcissa in fourth year. Lucius Malfoy was in Seventh year at the time but he still had his eyes on Narcissa."

"Those were the fun days…" Sirius trailed off, smirking.

Hermione shook her head. She never approved of violence in the slightest. "Honestly!"

Everyone laughed.

James looked around at the people at the table, smiling. It was good to be back with the ones he cared the most for.

**TBC**

**I'm not sure about Lucius Malfoy's age so I had him a year older then the Marauders. I used Chapter Six: The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black in the Order of the Phoenix to find out which order the Black sisters go in. Bellatrix is the oldest, followed by Andromeda, with Narcissa last. I always assumed they would be at school with James and co. so it sort of works out. Narcissa, I think, (in canon) was older then Sirius but I don't know that so this is what their respective ages are for this story. She must have only been a year out of Hogwarts when she had Draco Malfoy then…**

**Thank you's go to the following people: **RoschLupin-Black; jjeeff185; Barbossa'sApples; Elizabeth; bookxluver; Genna; amrawo; rosiegirl; Handsoff; Lunatic Pandora1; ambereyes2873;Kim Kotchanski; LiLaZnGrLy; spaceD151 **and **Xylia Dark.

**Review Responses:**

**missoblivious: **Sorry if the review responses bother you but there are some issues that I must address to other reviewers. I will try and keep them short.

**HarrysGrl: **Harry will look into the Pensieve but we will only see him talking to James about it. That won't happen until Chapter 29, I think. (Yes, it is a very long story and it is all planned out as well - I just need to add in the details before posting.) Thank you for the review.

**magicgirl45852: **If you can't use the link to join my group, then click on the word homepage in my bio and it should take you to it. It's worked for me. If it still doesn't work, let me know and I'll e-mail you the link. I hope you liked this chapter!

**angelicmayuka: **I quite like the idea for an ice-skating memory - _author looks in chapter plan and makes a note to do an ice-skating memory - _but another memory won't be coming to a while yet. However James will be talking to Harry about Lily shortly and while there is no memory in it, he will tell Harry a lot about his time with her. I've taken time to write out the plot for this story, and while it follows Book 5, the ending has changed, a lot. There won't be many clues as to what I'm planning. Keep a look out for them as the chapters progress but it won't start until Harry gets back to Hogwarts. Thank you for the review.

**HarryPotterknoitall: **I used only the one paragraph of Harry shouting because it lasts like three pages in my version of OOTP. James still heard the whole conversation, I just didn't want to write out the whole conversation because it would take too long and would detract from the main point of the story. I hope that clears that up!

**IamSiriusgrl: **Will Sirius still die? Hmmm, that is a closely guarded secret. And James being at the Ministry will change things….you'll just have to wait and see what I have planned….Thank you for your review.

**Lady Taliesin: **Another lengthy review: Thanks! I definitely know what you mean about Fudge being a complete thick-headed jerk. Some people think that he would clear Sirius just because James says he's innocent, but he wouldn't because there is no evidence to prove that Sirius didn't commit the murders. He's cleared him of betraying the Potters, but because Fudge is a complete and utter power-hungry, self-contained idiot, he'd rather keep his job then allow an innocent man to be free. Perhaps I would have considered clearing Sirius of all charges if this story was set before fourth year as back then Fudge trusted Dumbledore. Now he doesn't so anything he says that might even be remotely impossible he discourages it as an attempt to overthrow him. I hope that made sense. And, yes, he wasn't allowed to see his son yet, because Harry didn't know about him. I'm also trying to keep the characterization to a point so that they are true to the characters in the books. Knowing almost nothing about James gives me a little freedom to create him as my own. Oh, and thank you for pointing out my mistake. I was meant to say 'sputtering'. I'll have to correct that when I have time. I hope you enjoyed how Harry reacted. I'm not sure how good that scene was or not. Thank you for the review and your lovely comments.

**SeriousSiriusFan: **I won't kill anyone that is important to you (I know where the plot is going now and what happens at the end). I do not love the know-it-all but I won't kill her. I actually didn't know you try to avoid fics where characters are killed off: do you know any good fics that I could read? I hope this answer pleases you.

**littlewolf-moony: **James still remembers Peter as a good friend so I still believe he would have listened to Peter's reasons if he could. I hope the reunion between father and son was okay. And I'll try and not kill Sirius but you won't find out what I have planned for him until Chapter 33. A Yahoo Group is where you can join up and receive updates and information on what to expect. There are also polls. It is also a place where fans of this story can chat or send messages to me about the story and can also make suggestions as to where they would like to see happen. I've had no messages so far but I've got three members. Don't worry I will not call characters by their pet names. The only ones who've got them are the Marauders (Prongs, Padfoot, Moony) and it will only be those names anyway, nothing else. Besides I don't like calling Sirius 'Siri' it makes it sound like he is a girl. I will try and read your stories, but I can't promise that I will. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

**Silverspecter: **I don't have a beta-reader, instead I re-read every chapter I write out-loud and that way I usually spot any mistakes I may have made. I don't really believe I'm that good at spelling or grammer. I look forward to reading more of your story. I hope this chapter met your expectations. I am not sure about the meeting between father and son went that well or came out as well as I wanted it to. Thank you for reading!

**Chapter 7: **Harry and James go to Diagon Alley...**avaliable at the weekend.**

**Thank you for reading, **

**MissBlackPotter**


	7. Diagon Alley

**A/N) A shorter chapter then the previous two because of how it ends. I would've continued but I think that what James is about to tell Harry at the end of the chapter should be left as a one entry chapter. **

**DEDICATION: **This chapter is dedicated to **littlewolf-moony **for being my 200th reviewer! Congratulations! (I honestly thought this story would only get 50 reviews in total! I'm amazed at how many people are enjoying this story! Thanks!)

**Prongs Rides Again**

**Chapter Seven: Diagon Alley **

"I really need a wand," James muttered, as he stared at his empty hand. He had never been without a wand since he left Hogwarts, and now to be in a house full of Witches and Wizards with wands was quite embarrassing. James wanted a wand, yet he was helping Harry and Sirius clean Grimmauld Place. The day of Harry's trial was drawing closer and James intended to go to support his son. He had asked Dumbledore for permission but the Headmaster hadn't replied. James was beginning to think that if he didn't answer then he would go. Harry needed someone who would support him. James couldn't understand why people were refusing to believe that Voldemort was back. The person who had killed his Lily was out there, and plotting to kill his son, the last thing he had left in the world that remained of Lily. If he lost Harry…he didn't know what he would do.

He picked up a worn out cloth and began scrubbing the floor. Sirius was on the other side of the room, sitting on his knees, scrubbing away like mad. He was constantly muttering under his breath about the 'cursed house' 'bloody parents and their Dark Arts…'. It was not very nice to hear Sirius speak of such things but James knew his friend was just mad that the room they were in refused to clean.

Literally it did refuse to clean.

Specks of dust littered every bit of furniture that sat in the room. The wallpaper was falling apart and the floorboards were a nasty brown colour. It was this substance that had refused to wash away, even with magic, so the two Wizards had decided to go it the Muggle way by using water and soap. It seemed to be working but half of the stains did not wash up, therefore increasing Sirius' anger.

James knew when not to annoy his friend.

"What do you need a wand for, Prongs, magic doesn't work here?" Sirius said bitterly.

"No, I mean, I need a wand to defend myself. My magic is a little rusty. Heck, when I tried to use your wand just now, I accidentally mispronounced 'Lumos' causing me to set the floorboards on fire. I think I really do need a wand."

"Go and get one then."

James rolled his eyes. "I can't."

"Why ever not?"

"I want Harry to come with me. He's worried about the trial. Going into the magical community will not help him," James sighed, "I'd ask you but unfortunately…"

Sirius cut him off. "…I'm a deranged maniac who wants to kill Harry Potter and restore the Dark Lord to full power." He quoted from the Daily Prophet which had published the article sometime after his escape from Azkaban but before he had met Harry. Sirius could very well believe that people would think he wanted to kill Harry, but people close to James should've realised how much Sirius cared for his Godson. He had survived Azkaban by thinking of Harry, and of James. _And knowing that I was innocent. _

"Well, what about Moony?"

"He's busy with the Order," James said, "I really want to take Harry to Diagon Alley. Mainly because I want to show him this place."

"He's already been there."

"I know but I missed that. I want to see Harry in the magical world, not here. I want to take him to Diagon Alley to buy all his school stuff."

Sirius sighed. "Look, do you want me to talk to him?"

"Would you?" James asked. He was afraid that Harry would say no; at least Sirius would be able to talk to him. James was sure Harry wasn't comfortable with him around yet.

"I'll talk to him as soon as we've finished tackling this floor, okay?"

"Thanks mate."

* * *

Harry was sitting with Ron and Hermione in the dining room when Sirius sought him out. "Can I have a word with you?" 

"Sure," Harry nodded and followed his godfather from the room. "What's up?"

Sirius scratched the back of his head. "Well, you see, James was a bit worried if he asked you to go with him to Diagon Alley so I got the job."

Harry looked at him confused.

"Would you go with James to buy a new wand and your school supplies?"

"Sure." He turned to leave, but a thought struck him. "Did Dad really think I'd say no?"

Sirius chuckled remembering the conversation. "He did. Imagine that: the fearless James Potter afraid to ask his son to go out with him."

James' voice rang out. He had been watching and listening to the conversation, hiding in the room over. "I heard that, Padfoot!"

"You were, though!" he retorted. Harry grinned.

James stepped into the room looking embarrassed. "All right, you got me. So, you don't mind coming?"

"I'd love to!" Harry said. "It'll be nice to spend sometime with you."

James blushed, glad that Harry wanted anything to do with him. "Do you want to go now?" he asked. "The sooner I get a wand, the better I'll feel."

Harry thought about it for a second, but then realised that he should want to go with his father since he'd hadn't had any quality time with him since he had talked to him about his years at Hogwarts. Harry realised that his father was still reeling from the fact that his teenaged son had fought Voldemort and survived.

"Okay," Harry agreed.

James sighed relieved. "Thanks kid." He reached out and ruffled Harry's hair.

"DAD!"

* * *

Diagon Alley, as was always, jam-packed full of people. As father and son walked and toured the Alley, curious onlookers pointed them out. Whispers echoed round them, but for once Harry didn't mind, mainly because he was with his dad. Nothing could harm him while James Potter was protecting him. 

No one dared to approach them. Protective parents walked the other way when they saw Harry, telling their children to not mingle with such a boy, however a few people merely nodded a James, obviously not wanting to socialise with him at that moment for fear of damaging their reputation. However, James didn't mind being looked at or ignored. At least he could talk to Harry without Witches and Wizards coming to shake his hand, like they had done at the Ministry.

First the two travelled to Gringotts where James visited the family vault, collecting money to spend. Then they went to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions where James spent a lot of money on buying quality made robes for himself. All of his had been destroyed at Godric's Hollow. He had been wearing an assortment of robes supplied by Remus and Sirius, even though they had been too big for him.

"Mr Potter!" a burly witch welcomed him. She smiled a warm face. "It's good to have you back."

"Thank you." James replied, grinning. "I'm glad to be back."

Harry was standing behind him, a child-like grin sliding onto his face as he watched his father reconnect with the magical world.

"And young Mr Potter as well!" the witch said, noticing Harry. "I've read a lot about you recently, but I don't believe it at all. It seems that people are willing to believe the rubbish that the Minister allows to be printed. Fortunately my family supports Dumbledore."

"I'm pleased that you have chosen to take the more realistic route," James commented, "in believing Dumbledore, that is."

The witch smiled, obviously pleased that she had something right. "Anyway lets get to the task at hand. I can't keep chatting to you when I should be serving you."

James shook his head, laughing. "That's all right. I have all the time in the world."

The witch lifted up the colour midnight blue and began arranging them around James, who had been directed to stand on a stool. "What kind of robes do you require?"

"Work, casual. The usual really." James shrugged. "The ones I'm wearing are a bit big."

"Yes, the arms are a bit long…." She frowned, "what colours would you like?"

"Any. I honestly don't care, as long as its wearable."

"Certainly, Mr Potter." The Witch used her wand to arrange the robes neatly over James and then summoned a charm to saw them together. Then she duplicated the robes in various colours. Waving her wand one more time, she packaged the robes up, leaving James in the ones he had been wearing when he entered the shop.

"How much?" James asked, reaching into his pocket.

"Seven sets of robes costs 40 Galleons 13 Sickles and twenty-three Knuts."

"Pricey." James remarked.

"New Ministry laws. Fudge is getting quite possessive with power. Unfortunately we've got to obey what he says."

James did not reply, instead he handed over the required amount. Picking up the bags of shopping he departed from the store, the witch waving good-bye.

Harry laughed. "I think she liked you, dad."

James rolled his eyes. "And what makes you think that?"

"Nothing…" Harry replied, in an innocent voice.

Father and son walked down the street till they came to Ollivander's. Passing the bags to Harry, James rubbed his hands in glee. "I can't wait to get a wand."

"Will it make you feel manly?" Harry asked.

"Are you always like this? Insulting your elders?"

Harry shook his head. "No, but I'm just trying to make our trip fun."

"I swear you've spent too much time with Padfoot." James remarked, but then turned to face Ollivander as he stepped into the light, moving gracefully across the floor to stand in front of him. Eyes searched him and widened in recognition.

"James Potter," he breathed, "Mahogany wand, I believe, eleven inches, pliable. Powerful and excellent for Transfiguration."

James nodded. He missed his old wand but since he had no idea where it was, he needed a new one to replace it. "That is correct, however due to unforeseen consequences I will require a new wand."

The old man nodded and immediately scooted away among the shelves looking through wands. He came back, lifting a shiny wand out of its box and explaining: "Unicorn hair; twelve inches and rather bendy."

James took the wand and gave it a wave but nothing came of it. It was snatched away before he could lay it down again. James went through ten wands before the right one was found.

"Try this. Beechwood and dragon heartstring, Eleven and a half inches. Flexible and excellent for Transfiguration." James waved the wand and a shower of red and gold sparks erupted from it. He grinned in triumph.

"Excellent!" Ollivander said, clapping his bony hands. "That will be seven Galleons."

James handed him the money, and together the two walked from the shop, with James grinning like a child. He was glad that he had a wand. He felt much more alive then before.

"Where to now?" Harry asked.

"Do you need to buy things for Hogwarts?"

"We haven't had our letters yet…" he trailed off, "besides I don't know if I'll be going back, what with the trial and all."

James kicked himself for bringing it up. The trial was a sensitive subject for Harry. "Sorry." He muttered.

* * *

Once again James was helping Sirius clean out the Black Home. This time they were in one of the upstairs rooms which hadn't been cleaned in ages. It turned out that the room used to belong to Sirius before he had gone to Hogwarts. After being sorted into Gryffindor his parents had moved him to the attic. Apparently Kreacher didn't clean the rooms of 'blood-traitors'. 

The little house-elf was quite fond of muttering 'dead-man' whenever he noticed James in the same room as he was. This of course served to James as annoying and repetitive and sometimes he wished Sirius would throw him out, unfortunately, if they did, Kreacher would be free to inform anyone he trusted as to where the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix was.

_And that information could easily leak into Voldemort's hands._ James did not want his son exposed to that monster again. So, he had to put up with the elf, no matter how much it annoyed him.

James walked across the room to the wardrobe which sat dusty and dirty in the corner. He opened it up and looked inside. He was surprised to find a box labelled 'school stuff' at the bottom. He pulled the box towards him and began to look through it, mesmerised. Inside were old photographs from the time Sirius had been eleven years old to Summer of 1981.

Sirius had kept these memories, hidden away so that no one could take them from him.

James looked over his shoulder at his friend. "Remember this?" he asked.

Sirius turned and noticed the photo James was holding. He walked forwards and looked at it, his face dawning into a smile. "Harry's first birthday?"

James nodded. "We were so happy." He sighed.

"I honestly didn't know that stuff was in here." Sirius admitted. "I thought I'd lost it."

"Amazing where you leave treasured memories." James murmured, running a finger over the figure of Lily that was waving out of the photograph up at him. "I really miss her. I'd do anything to bring Lily back."

James looked up at Sirius. "Can I keep this?"

"Sure."

James tucked the photo into his pocket and left the room. Sirius did not follow.

* * *

Shouting. 

Screams of torment.

Harry looked at Ron and Hermione.

"Who's that?" Ron asked.

Harry strained his hearing to listen and then it clicked. "Dad…"

Bolting from the bed (that he had been sitting on) Harry rushed out of his room and down the hallway towards his father's room. When he reached the door, the words were audible, filled with loss and anger.

"WHY! WHY TAKE LILY FROM ME? I DIDN'T DESERVE THIS!"

Cautiously, Harry opened the door and stepped inside, unsure of what to do. James was sitting on the bed, his knees drawn up to his face. Scrunched in his hand was a photo. Harry walked forward.

"Dad?" he asked, quietly, a little afraid, "are you okay?"

James didn't seem to hear him, but to Harry it looked like he was ignoring him. He saw tears running down his father's face.

He sat himself down on the bed, next to James and wrapped his arms round him. James looked to his son. "Harry, I'm sorry. You shouldn't have seen that."

He wiped the tears away, but more took their place.

"It's about mum isn't it?" Harry asked, catching sight of the image of the smiling Lily.

James nodded, his throat blocked from crying.

"Why not tell me about it? Let it out of your system." Harry urged, hoping to get his father to talk.

Slowly and carefully, James Potter poured his heart out to his son, telling him of the remarkable person his lovely Lily was.

**TBC**

**So, what do you think? Once again I think I could've put a bit more into this chapter but I had no idea what to put into it. **

**IMPORTANT NOTE**

In a few of the reviews from last chapter it was brought to my attention that my ages for Lucius Malfoy and the 'Black sisters' (Bellatrix, Andromeda and Narcissa) were wrong.

First, I last read OOTP in summer of 2004, and when planning this story out I just flicked through the book making notes and, obviously, I missed out on noting Lucius Malfoy's age, so he is a bit old to be in school with the Marauders, and I am sorry if that has frustrated anyone. I actually had forgotten that his age was now known, so I hope that people don't mind giving me a little bit of freedom. (_Thanks to Mariann's and Lady Taliesin for pointing this out. If I missed anyone then a thank you goes to you as well!) _

Secondly the issue with the Black Sisters. Usually on a family tree, the oldest child of a couple is put on the left and the youngest on the right. In my OOTP version it clearly states this: _He pointed to another small round burn mark between two names, Bellatrix and Narcissa. _To me this states that Andromeda is the 'burn mark' and therefore the middle child. Bellatrix is the oldest as she's the first name mentioned and Narcissa is the youngest as she's the last. That is why they were in that order, although a reviewer pointed out that in **Goblet of Fire **we are told that Snape hanged out with the Lestrange's, however I checked my copy of the book and it states that Snape hang out with a group of Slytherins who nearly turned out to be Death-Eaters, it doesn't mention who. I do hope I haven't offended anyone with these notes, and I do appreciate people correcting me, though sometimes if I do know that I've got information right I do like to give a reason.

I do hope this clears a few matters up.

**Responses and Thank you's: **

**The following people get a special hug and a Thank You from me for reviewing: **Mariann's; Lunatic Pandora1; BrItsR; StonySilence; Sugary-Quills; Mrs Daniel Radcliffe; Lady Slone of Snow Mt; Jeran; Thanatos Nemesis; amrawo; FreedomGundam; PrincessSkywalkerOrgana; Siriusly Sirius Lily Black; Canadian Coco Chick; Crazy-Physco; LikePink; Yokai Cesia and Chi; Stella9876; Barbossa'sApples; twinsrthebest; emerald hazel; iluvjames; Porcelain Prayer; kbluesmom; Docteur Gribouille; Loonie Potter; shaziaRiavera; Rsegovia; rosiegirl; Kim Kotchanski; HandsOff; SilverHawk 27; HarrysGrrl; Annasun; Kirjava Deamon; lovenhope **and **Inumaru12.

**IamSiriusgrl: **I'm not actually thinking of including Harry's love life but it might pop up later on…I'm not sure. It made me laugh when you suggested about Harry, Remus and James starting Riots trying to get people to see Sirius as innocent. That just had me laughing…

**Silverspecter: **I hope the Diagon Alley scene was okay…I didn't make it too chaotic, but at least James got what he needed without too much trouble…

**magicgirl45853: **Did you test my idea out?

**TajM14: **Welcome to I won't be changing Ron and Hermione. They will get together just not in the Book 5 version of this story. To me Friday is not the weekends and it's my genuine policy to update every three to four days, no earlier, unless I have to.

**ambereyes2873: **I've got something planned for Sirius. Though the ending has changed, it might (author puts emphasis on the word 'might') still occur only later on in the story. But I'll probably take the harder route and keep him alive just to satisfy people who like the character so much. Aside from James, he is my favourite too.

**Smorefan: **Umbridge will still teach DADA.

**Lady Taliesin: **I hope you did well in you History test. If you were revising (really hard) then you must have a break every twenty minutes otherwise you get bored. I learnt that the hard way when sitting my GCSE's (luckily I managed to get all the grades I needed to get into the Sixth Form). Thank you for pointing out the mistake of Lucius' age. I should re-read OOTP to make sure I've got all the facts right…I hope you liked this chapter!

**MaraudersIce: **You'll have to wait and see what James does to Umbridge later on…

**SeriousSiriusFan: **Yes, you have succeeded…I will check out all those stories you listed…it'll keep me entertained for a while…hehe. If you're looking for some good Sirius reading material I would recommend the Unbroken Universe which has three stories in it: Promises Unbroken; Promises Remembered and Promises Defended. The third one isn't completed yet but they are remarkable stories. I'm not sure if you'd like them or not, or if you've read them anyway, but I thought I'd mention them as they are my all time favourite stories on this site. They are written by Robin4.

**Lily and James Potter: **I think that some of the reviewers don't like the words 'father-figure' as it doesn't seem like something Harry would say.

**littlewolf-moony: **Thank you for pointing out my grammatical mistakes. Once this fic is completed (probably won't be for another year) I will go back through it and revise it, and then upload (hopefully) the corrected version of the story. Thank you for being my 200th reviewer.

**Chapter 8 is entitled 'Lily' **- James tells Harry about his mother…**coming next Wednesday (warning this chapter is really short - you'll see why when it's posted).**

**Thank you for reading, **

**MissBlackPotter **


	8. Lily

**A/N) Okay, if you don't like images of men crying or acting all emotional then I suggest you don't read this chapter. James, is literally, telling Harry things about Lily and it is quite heartbreaking for him. I've never actually seen a man cry before but this is the best I could do for this chapter. Enjoy…**

* * *

**Prongs Rides Again**

**Chapter Eight: Lily**

"Lily," James began, his voice soft and caring, "she was a wonderful person, so kind and generous. She was always there to help the unfortunate, she always came up with solutions to difficult problems. When I was a kid I used to dream of meeting the perfect woman to be my bride. She would be beautiful and excel in everything that she did. My parents used to laugh when I told them that I would marry someone like that. They told me that no such person could exist. No one was perfect for another person, there would always be trouble that would keep us apart, but they were wrong."

"I met Lily during the Sorting in 1971. She didn't speak to me but I couldn't keep my gaze off of her when she was called to be sorted. She was lovely…no…she was beautiful…the most beautiful girl I had seen. More importantly she was a Gryffindor, just like I was destined to be. I made the foolish act of thinking we could be friends."

"She didn't like me, I didn't know why. But, god, your mother was simply wonderful. Her red hair…her brilliant green eyes…everything about her was amazing. I loved her…I still do."

"In third year I asked Lily to Hogsmeade with me. She refused because I told her she would come with me, instead of asking her. I was confused and hurt, not understanding why she had said 'no' and called me 'an arrogant pig'. Every trip I asked her and still the answer was 'no'. I wanted to know why she hated me so. Was it because of what I did to impress her? I wanted to prove that I was good enough for her."

"Sirius and I went around cursing the other students. I thought Lily would be pleased with my skill, my accuracy, but it failed each time. She thought I was a rude, horrible, attention-seeking boy, but the truth was, was that I was hoping to impress her enough so that she'd go out with me."

"I have to admit I did have a inflated head. Even the guys said so. I still wouldn't listen. Lily would warm to me."

His throat seemed to stick but he forced himself to continue, gazing at Harry.

"Then when we were in Seventh year, everything changed. Lily and I were the heads of the school. We had to work together and being respectable, I couldn't go around cursing people. Lily gradually began like me, noticing me properly for the first time, not through my antics but through who I was underneath. I asked her out for the last time to go to Hogsmeade with me. She said 'yes'. I was overjoyed. After seven years I had finally grasped Lily as mine."

"Months went by and we began to fall in love."

"Everyday I was with her felt like an eternity. My life was complete: I needed nothing more save a family. There was no one more perfect then her for me. I loved her. I still do. She was a wonderful Head-Girl - best part was when she yelled at Snape for cursing Sirius and I on graduation day," James laughed remembering Lily's flamed fury face as she shouted at Severus Snape for daring to attack her James, "come to think of it she only stuck up for me: not for Sirius. I think Snape fancied Lily even though he hated Muggle-borns. She was just so unique that even the hardest of Slytherins found it difficult to insult Lily."

"For six years Sirius and I had insulted Snape: he was jealous of me, and he hated the fact that Lily loved me. I suppose he attacked me for revenge for all the humiliation I had put him through. When I look back on it I am ashamed. I wasted six years trying to impress your mother with my magic skills when all I needed to do was be myself. I never understood until we both worked together during Seventh and learnt more about each other then I had thought we ever would. Lily made me re-think who I was as a person. She made me realise my actions of the past six years were pathetic and childish. In a way she enabled me to grow into a man."

"Our first kiss happened just before graduation. I didn't want to rush her into anything she didn't want to do, and I think that's why our relationship worked. I was careful around her. I made it safe for us to progress as a couple later on in life. We loved each other for a long time before our first kiss, but neither of us knew if we should take it further. But we took the plunge and entered a whole new world together."

"Our love grew with each passing moment. All I wanted was to care for her and give her a wonderful life full of love and friendship. I gave her that. The few years that we were married, I did everything for her to make it easy."

"Leaving Hogwarts changed our relationship: it made me realise that it was real and that we had something special. I didn't know what to do about it. I knew that I wanted to marry her but I wondered if she was ready for it. We both had careers: Lily was a secretary in education and I was training to be an Auror. Three months after graduation in 1978 I proposed to your mother. It was the happiest day of my life when she said 'yes'. I will never forget that day…or night."

"Your mother was so beautiful on our wedding day: her hair was done up in a bun, wrapped up in white fabric; her dress was long and glittery; and her eyes shone with utter happiness. The way she walked was like watching a little giddy girl. We were stepping into a new world together. The moment she took my name as hers I was thrilled. I love her more then anything."

"The last years together faded and then, Harry, you came along, filling our hearts with love and joy. Lily adored you, in fact, she couldn't keep her eyes off you, neither could I. She wanted to have more children but we decided to wait until you were two years old before providing you with siblings."

James grimaced, his face darkening in anger, tears glistening on her cheeks. "But that chance was taken from her by that monster. I may have been dead when she tried to protect you, but I know that in my heart she fought bravely, and for that I am grateful."

"You're the reminder as to why I am here. Lily was a wonderful, charming person. She didn't deserve that fate, but it happened, and the worst part about it is that I will never kiss her, hug her or even hear her voice ever again. Ever since I was eleven Lily has been a part of my life in one way or another. How can I live without her? But there is a simple answer to that question."

James turned to face Harry and a small smile spread across his features. "You, Harry. While you live I have a reason to hold on to. No matter how much I miss Lily, she would want me to give you the best life imaginable. That chance has been given to me, but I wish Lily could be here to share in my happiness."

Tears gathered in his eyes. "I miss her so much. I'd do anything just to see her standing in this room watching us. I love her…how can I live without her?"

* * *

"You don't have to live without mum, dad." Harry explained, leaning forward and resting his head on his father's shoulder, "Continue to remember mum, the way she would've wanted." 

James smiled sadly. Tears fell down his cheeks. He was glad he had told Harry about his mother. The burden seemed less heavy then before. "I know. And I will remember Lily. Nothing will ever make me forget her save death itself."

And then James' control broke and his strength that had been holding the tears back, fell apart, and he leaned against Harry for support as he cried.

Harry hugged his father feeling sad but knowing it was no time for him to break down and cry. James needed him to be strong. His father needed this. It was the only way to make him better. He laid his hands on his father's shoulders gently rubbing them to ease the tension in them.

"I'll never leave you, dad, I promise you." Harry said.

Through his tears, James whispered: "I know, Harry, I know."

**TBC**

**I know it's very short but because of what this chapter entails I thought it would be best to split it up. Next chapter is longer. **

**Thank you's go to the following reviewers: **Loonie Potter; HarrysGrrl; ambereyes2873 (I hope this chapter was interesting!); XyliaDark; Crazy-Physco; MionePotter2U; Jb; Lunatic Pandora1; LiLaZnGrLy; zippyfox; PrincessSkywalkerOrgana; RebelHanyouofDarkness; Barbossa'sApples; LikePink; Kim Kotchanski; Virginia Riddle-Malfoy; twinsrthebest; FutureGodess; Floro13 **and** amrawo.

**HandsOff: **Lucius Malfoy's is 41. I missed this detail when flicking through OOTP plotting out the story-line. People have told me that it was 40, but by looking in OOTP I have found his age on page 275 (british version; children's edition) which is 41 years old not 40. So there you go…

**IamSiriusgrl**: I actually loved your idea with a riot. There is a sort of riot that will occur much later on in the story involving James, Sirius, Professor Umbridge and lots of Hogwarts Students all running around screaming and shouting. You'll have to wait until Chapter 30 before it can happen. I hope you liked this chapter!

**magicgirl45852: **I haven't read 'Prongs Rides Again' by BreflyDel yet but I'm hoping to. I've read a few stories where James comes back to life but some I have found are not that good, and I thought I'd try my own hand at writing a story like that. I won't show the Hearing because James won't be allowed in the Courtroom but he will be present to greet Harry out. Unfortunately James will not DADA teacher because Umbridge is still in the story. But there is another post he can take…any guesses? Oh, and I also sent an update message to the users of the Yahoo Group, and I was wondering if you received it or not? I've had no posts (apart from myself) to let me know that anyone is getting the messages I send. The Yahoo Group is there for discussion between the author and readers. Thank you for reading!

**Smorefan: **Harry will be less angry throughout the school year but he will have a big outburst when something really bad happens…yes, Umbridge is still teaching DADA, and Sirius won't be alone either…he'll be in the story more often then he is in the actual book.

**kill bill rocks: **You're right I'm dedicated to this fic. I hate it when authors leave there stories hanging and never update. Most of the story line comes directly from OOTP but with slight changes to what the characters are doing now that James is alive. And James will remain with Harry for as long as he can…

**Lady Taliesin: **Thank you for another, fantastic review. Your comments on the characterisation of James were simply wonderful. Hardly anyone tells me what they think of how he is reacting and it is nice that you are doing that for me. I am also trying to show how caring James can be to his son. This chapter showed the 'more heartbreaking' version of James and what losing a loved one can be like. I have never lost anyone I love so I found it hard to write about his feelings towards Lily. I hope it was okay. I didn't want to put a riot into the Diagon Alley scene for a few reasons: the first was because one comes much later in the story around Chapter Thirty; second of all people would be scared especially if they knew he had come back from the dead. I certainly wouldn't go up to him. I am also hoping to build up the father-son relationship to a point where it would hurt Harry more if he lost James rather then Sirius. It's not that strong yet as he's still wary of him but he's getting past that. Hmmm, I didn't think of James asking for Gryffindor's colours at the robe shop. That would've been a good idea…and yes Fudge is losing support so he's raising taxes and stuff. One of the side plots that won't be dealt with until later on. Hopefully, by the end of this chapter you should have the impression that James really loved Lily. I'll try not to make him too mad over Lily's death in the future. And his wand may play an important part in the story, but I'm not saying what…I hope you liked this chapter!

**Littlewolf-moony: **I forgot to introduce James' wand earlier so I put in chapter seven as a last resort. Yes, I dedicated the last chapter to you because you were my two hundredth reviewer. Every one hundred I will dedicate a chapter to that lucky reviewer. Thank you for reading!

**angelicmayuka: **The ice skating idea won't come in until later on in the story. I hope you liked this chapter about Lily. Thank you for reading.

**Next Chapter: Apparation Test **- Harry goes to his hearing and James takes his Apparation Test….**Coming at the weekend.**

**Also I have uploaded a small one-shot piece about Harry and James at Hogwarts during Christmas. There are a few tiny spoilers as to what will happen in the coming chapters of this story but as it is snowing where I am I thought it would be appropriate to post it. It also wouldn't fit into the proper story at the time of when its set so I thought I'd give you an extra treat for the shortness of this chapter. **

**Signing out for now,**

**MissBlackPotter**


	9. Apparation Test

**A/N) Here is Chapter Nine! I'm not sure about this chapter. It's one of those that doesn't do anything for the plot apart from James taking his Apparating Test, and Harry's trial…but that's about it. Thank you for all the smashing reviews. I've enjoyed waking up every morning and opening up my e-mails and reading your wonderful comments…**_cuddles to all!_

**Enjoy! **

* * *

**Prongs Rides Again**

**Chapter Nine: Apparation Test**

Days passed and the Hearing grew gradually closer. On the eve of the Hearing, Harry was positively worried that he would not be able to return to the school he loved. James insisted that he would do fine and that they had no case against him, though Sirius argued that Fudge was doing it just to be an annoying Minister. James could understand why Sirius hated the man: after all he refused to hear him out and wouldn't even contemplate the fact that Sirius Black might even be innocent.

No one, it seemed, wanted to know the truth anymore.

The night before the hearing, James sat with his son trying to engage him in conversation but Harry refused, his thoughts focused on surviving the Hearing. Even Ron and Hermione could do nothing to cheer Harry up. By the time Harry had gone to bed the entire house was in low spirits. Even James didn't feel inclined to speak to anyone.

In the early hours of the morning James rose and made his way down to the kitchen. It was just after half-five and he found the kitchen filled already with the usual occupants: Sirius, Remus, Tonks and the two Weasley adults. He was also surprised to see Harry sitting at the table, numbly eating a piece of toast. James allowed a small smile before he nodded his head to Arthur and pointed to the hallway. The other Wizard nodded, understanding James' intention.

Once outside the kitchen and away from prying ears Arthur turned to face James, unsure of what to expect from him. After all he was still in awe of James.

James was reluctant to start the conversation. How could he speak to Arthur without intimidating him. Finally, sensing James discomfort, Arthur asked the question: "Are you up for Harry?"

James nodded. "Yes. I figured he would need some fatherly support…so I was wondering if I could come with you. I know Dumbledore asked you to escort him to the Ministry but he is my son and I do have a duty to perform."

"I understand," Arthur said, "You won't be allowed to go into the hearing though. I'll stand outside with you to keep you company."

James smiled. "Thanks. Harry needs all the support he can get, especially if the Ministry is going to be tough on him. I know that Fudge will try and get him expelled. I just can't see why they can't see the truth…"

"Because Fudge is a dunderhead." Arthur supplied. "I'm not the type of person to judge but I do know we need a new Minister, someone who is willing to listen to Dumbledore's claims, and that won't happen if Fudge remains in Office."

James grimaced. "Then we'll just have to wait until Voldemort reveals himself."

Flinching, Arthur replied, "If he does."

"He will, only when Harry is vulnerable, and I won't let that happen." James vowed.

* * *

"Harry? Are you ready?" James asked as he stepped back into the Kitchen. 

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "As ready as I'll ever be." He sighed.

"How are we getting there?" James asked, "Floo?"

Arthur shook his head. "No. We'll walk and use the visitors entrance. Arriving without magic will make a good impression…hopefully." He added.

Arthur looked at his watch. "Nearly six-thirty. We may as well leave now and wait in my office until the Hearing. It'll be easier for Dumbledore to contact us if we're needed."

"Dumbledore?" Harry looked up sharply, his green eyes narrowing in suspicion. James knew that Dumbledore hadn't said a word to Harry and his son was highly annoyed by this. Harry had deserved to know things about the Order, especially if it meant he would finally understand why Voldemort was after him. James was annoyed that the headmaster had refused to tell Harry about the Prophecy. He obviously thought Harry was just a kid, but he wasn't, especially after what he had seen in June.

"Forget it," Arthur said.

Harry glanced at his father but James shook his head. Harry scowled. He hated not knowing things.

Molly Weasley hugged her husband good-bye, wished Harry good-luck and nodded in James' direction. Sirius stepped up, shaking his head. "See you later, Prongs. If I could come with you, I would, unfortunately I have to remain here for my own safety."

"I agree," James said, "There is a risk of you being uncovered even if you were in your Animagus form. I don't want to lose you to the Dementors. Fudge won't even agree to hearing you out. If you're caught nothing will stop him from ordering the Dementors Kiss straight away."

"I've been stuck here a long time."

"I know," James smiled sadly, "maybe when we can catch Peter…"

"I doubt we will." Sirius interrupted.

James slapped his forehead. "We might. You never know what the future holds."

"James, are you coming?" Arthur called out.

"Sure," James turned to Sirius, "just promise you won't follow us."

"I already told Dumbledore I'd stay put."

"Thank you. We'll be back later to celebrate." James said.

Sirius rolled his eyes. How did James know that Harry would get off? He might be expelled. However he didn't say anything in case of insulting him. He watched James leave. He was not the same person as before. He was no fun when it came to danger, but then James probably didn't want to lose his only family he had left.

Sirius sat down, waiting for them to return.

* * *

"Where are we?" James asked, looking around at his surroundings. 

"This way," Arthur said, leading the two Potters through the milling crowd of Muggles. He frowned as he thought of the direction he should go in. He turned to look at James, and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, I usually Apparate to go to work, but finding the Ministry the visitors way is a lot harder then I thought."

He began leading them through the streets of London, keeping one hand on his wand in his pocket to be safe and keeping a sharp look out for anyone that might seek to harm Harry or James. They reached a street that had several shabby-looking offices, a pub and an overflowing skip.

"It's the red telephone box, isn't it?" James remarked.

Arthur nodded. "Yes. A few Muggles have tried to use it but can't."

Harry looked mystified. "The entrance to the Ministry of Magic is in an old telephone box?"

"Sounds odd I know," Arthur replied, "but it stops Muggles from stumbling upon us all the time. Also this is a little used street as well."

"You've got a lot to learn, Harry," said James.

Arthur opened the door to the telephone box and shuffled aside so that Harry and James could get through. Arthur squeezed himself in. "James, can you dial the numbers six, two, four, four and two?"

James grimaced as he struggled to turn himself around. Finally he grabbed the receiver and pressed the buttons. Moments passed and a female voice echoed out, welcoming them to the Ministry and asking them their name and business.

"Arthur Weasley, Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office, here to escort Harry Potter to a disciplinary hearing." He said.

"James Potter, to escort Harry Potter."

Two badges rolled out of the metal chute where coins appeared. On them were the words:

**Harry Potter**

**Disciplinary Hearing**

and

**James Potter**

**Escort**

They clipped them to the front of their robes, and with a sudden jerk the telephone box slid further into the ground. James caught Harry's apprehensive stare and stifled a laugh. Obviously his son had never been to the Ministry before. It felt like a minute, but James knew it was only a few seconds, the lift stopped and opened. Arthur stepped out first, followed by Harry, and then James.

Harry gasped. All around him Witches and Wizards crowded round the fireplaces waiting to depart while others arrived. As the group walked up the long hall and towards the FOUNTAIN OF MAGICAL BRETHEN people stopped and stared.

James groaned inwardly as he realised they were talking about him. He caught a few words but it was enough to get his anger boiling.

"Do you really think….?"

"…Death Eater in disguise…"

"Shouldn't be trusted…"

"Says Black is innocent…."

"…can't believe that. Once a murderer always a murderer."

Catching sight of the two robed Wizards watching, James whirled catching them off guard, his hazel eyes flashing dangerously. He opened his mouth to respond but Arthur stopped him.

"Don't."

James glowered but continued on his way. They would regret not listening to him or Sirius, he would make sure of that.

"You're going to have to have your wands checked by Security before we can go any further into the Ministry." Arthur supplied as he led them to a desk with a badly-shaven wizard sitting behind it.

"I'm escorting two visitors."

The wizard looked up. "Wands."

Harry and James handed the Wizard their wands and he set them on Scales. Once the information had been produced he read out, glancing at the two Potters for confirmation.

"Eleven inches, phoenix-feather core, been in use four years. That correct?"

Harry nodded, and took back his wand.

"Beechwood and dragon heartstring, Eleven and a half inches. Flexible. Been in use seven days."

"That's right." James answered. He took back his wand and pocketed it.

They continued their walk through the Ministry until they came to the lifts where they descended to Level Two: Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Auror Headquarters and Wizengamot Administration Services. Skittering through the office, James noticed that the Auror headquarters were filled with old pictures and photos of Sirius.

Kingsley Shaklebolt moved towards them. He gave James a small smile and pressed a magazine into his palms. "Give him the magazine, he might find it interesting."

James frowned. What did he mean? His hazel eyes scanned the front page and they widened when they noticed one of the articles that lay within:

**SIRIUS BLACK: VILLAIN or VICTIM**

Intrigued James flipped to the acquired pages and began to read, a small smile growing on his face as he read the ludicrous article.

**SIRIUS - BLACK AS HE'S PAINTED?**

**Notorious mass murderer or innocent singing sensation?**

**For fourteen years Sirius Black has been believed guilty of the mass murder of twelve innocent Muggles and one Wizard. Black's audacious escape from Azkaban two years ago has led to the widest manhunt ever conducted by the Ministry of Magic. None of us has ever questioned that he deserves to be recaptured and handed back to the Dementors. **

**BUT DOES HE? **

**Startling new evidence has recently come to light that Sirius Black may not have committed the crimes for which he was sent to Azkaban. In fact, says Doris Purkiss, of 18 Acanthia Way, Little Norton, Black may not even have been present at the killings. **

"**What people don't realise is that Sirius Black is a false name," says Mrs Purkiss. "The man people believe to be Sirius Black is actually Stubby Boardman, lead singer of a popular singing group The Hobgoblins, who retired from public life after being struck on the ear by a turnip at a concert in Little Norton Church Hall nearly fifteen years ago. I recognised him the moment I saw his picture in the paper. Now, Stubby couldn't possibly have committed those crimes, because on the day in question he happened to be enjoying a romantic candlelit dinner with me. I have written to the Minister for Magic and am expecting him to give Stubby, alias Sirius, a full pardon any day now." **

Sniggering James closed the magazine. _Why does the Quibbler print stuff like this? _

"What's that you got, dad?" Harry asked.

"Something for Padfoot." James answered, lowering his voice. "And you can't see, not yet anyway."

Arthur led them into a cramped office where two seats waited. James allowed Harry to sit on one, while Arthur sat at his desk.

James looked at his watch. "I'm just going up to the Apparation centre."

"Why?" Harry asked.

"I need to get my license renewed. I'll see if I can take the test. I'll be back before you go to your Hearing."

Harry nodded. "Good luck, dad."

"Thanks."

James departed. He took to the lift and waited as his destination grew nearer. He had been on level Two but needed to get to level Six. As he waited a burly witch, with curly brown hair, and bright blue eyes stepped into the lift. Her eyes widened as she recognised James.

"James Potter! I haven't seen you in years!" She hugged him, startling James enough for him to lose his breath.

He grinned sheepishly. "Hey, Danielle."

"You remember!" she squealed, hands flinging to her mouth.

Danielle Marson had been one of the many Witches Sirius had dated during sixth year at Hogwarts. She was the same age and had been one of Lily's friends. Danielle was a half-blood, her father a Muggle, but her mother one of the Purebloods, though James couldn't remember which.

"What are you doing now?" James asked, shuffling on his feet.

"I work with the Floo Network. I help patrol the fires for criminals and other people." She said.

"Oh," James said, "I would go back to being an Auror, but the Minister doesn't want me to. I don't think he truly believes that I am alive."

Danielle grimaced. "My mother thinks the same. She says you are some Death Eater in disguise. On the account, we do believe what Dumbledore says but as we need people in the Ministry and close to Fudge, I'm remaining 'loyal' to his ideals."

"I won't. I'll just do whatever I can to protect my son. Harry deserves a quiet life…especially after all he's been through."

Danielle turned away, her face burning bright red. She'd had a crush on James before being asked out by Sirius. She had never been is such close proximity with him, and she didn't know what to say. They stood in complete silence. As the elevator doors opened to Level Six: Department of Magical Transportation, incorporating the Floo Network Authority, Broom Regulatory Control, Portkey Office and Apparation Test Centre, James and Danielle stepped out together.

"I've got to go this way," Danielle apologised, indicating to the right.

"Well, I'll see you around then," James replied and started off towards the left where the Apparation Test Centre was situated. Once she was gone, James hurriedly increased his stride. Danielle, being Lily's oldest friend, had brought back memories and that was causing James pain. He was glad to see the back of her. He would have to be careful who he ran into.

An unfamiliar witch sat at the desk to the Apparation Centre. Her eyes were the colour of a dark night; and her white hair sat in layers wrapped around her head. She looked up as James approached, her eyes narrowing as she took in his thin frame.

"James Potter, I presume?" she asked.

"Yes,"

"You're here for your Apparation Test?"

"That's right. I still remember what I have to do in order to pass so I was hoping I could do the test and go."

"That is not normally our way of things. However because of the circumstances that you are in, and that I received an urgent note from Albus Dumbledore I will make an exception." the witch said.

"Thank you." James figured that being polite might increase his chance of passing, though he highly doubted it. Besides he was a powerful wizard and he should succeed with ease.

The witch stood up and led him into the Testing area, a small hall where James had to Apparate from one place to another to test how efficiently he could do it.

"Please stand in the red circle," she instructed, "Now I want you to Apparate from that red circle into the white circle next to it."

James nodded and rubbing his hands together, focused his mind. He imagined the red circle and then himself disappearing and appearing in the white circle. Almost instantly he felt a force rub round him. He heard a pop and looked down at his feet. He was standing in the white circle. A triumphant gleam entered his eyes. He remembered how to do it!

"Well done, Mr Potter. Now, I will give you a list of items you must collect for me from these various towns throughout Britain. They are abandoned Wizarding shops. You will receive your license if you successfully being back twenty of the twenty-five items. If you need any help or assistance, I will know. We have Muggle cameras set up in the shops watching your movements so if anything goes wrong we will be there to aid you. Do you understand?"

"Perfectly." James answered, taking the piece of paper from the Witch.

Taking a deep breath he continued with the test.

* * *

**Name: **James Christopher Potter

**D.O.B: **24/04/60

**Test: **Apparation

**Tester: **Claire Wardens

**Date: **12/08/95

He held his Apparation card in his hand, grinning widely. He had received top marks in the test, and now he was qualified to Apparate. He looked at his watch. 8:30. He still had thirty minutes till Harry's disciplinary hearing.

"James Potter?"

Startled he found himself looking at a stooped, timid-looking wizard with fluffy white hair. He seemed to be out of breath as he regarded James.

"Yes?"

"I've come to tell you that the Disciplinary Hearing was moved to 8:00. Your son is at the Hearing now. Arthur will be waiting outside for him. It's in Courtroom Ten."

"They moved the time!" James said. "How could they do that?"

The other wizard shrugged and then departed leaving James standing alone. _How could they do that? And I wasn't even there to wish him luck. _

He began to sprint, weaving in and out of the milling crowd, curious onlookers glancing in his direction. The lift took him back to the Atrium, and then descended again to the Department of Mysteries. The walls around were bare and devoid of any colours, and no windows shone through, giving the corridor a somewhat dark and foreboding look. Running down the corridor, James turned left, bolting down the steps, and into another corridor, and at the end of this stood Mr Weasley, hands in his pockets looking extremely nervous, pacing.

James straightened out his robes and walked towards him, running a hand through his untidy hair. "Sorry I'm late."

"Don't worry. Dumbledore's in there. I'm hoping…" Arthur trailed off.

"Let's just wait." James slouched against the wall, waiting. Every few seconds he looked at his watch, getting more frustrated that the time hardly changed. What was taking so long? "I hope he's alright."

"He will be. Dumbledore's defending him. He took old Mrs Figg in with him as a witness."

"They can't convict him of anything surely, especially if it was in defence."

Arthur nodded. "That's right, but Fudge is determined to not see it that way."

James shook his head. "In my day we would be allowed to get away with doing magic outside school. I mean, in a Wizarding home it is only natural that a child practices magic, but in a Muggle home there're not. Harry produced a Patronus in front of someone who already knew about magic. What's wrong with that?"

"No idea."

James sighed. The justice system was so unfair. Especially to Harry and Sirius. What did society have against them? He was saved from answering that question when the doors were wrenched open and Albus Dumbledore came striding out. He swept pass the two Wizards, ignoring them completely.

"Professor?" James began but was stopped as the door opened again and Harry stepped through with a bewildered but relieved face.

"Cleared," Harry stated, "of all charges."

"Excellent!" Arthur beamed and was about to hug Harry when James stepped forward, wrapping his arms around him.

"I knew they couldn't convict you, kiddo." James said, pleased that his son could still enjoy Hogwarts.

"Thanks dad."

The doors to the court opened once more and the assembled Witches and Wizards filed out, mumbling among themselves, a few shooting Harry dirty looks but most of them keeping straight faces.

"You were tried by the full court?" Arthur asked in disbelief.

Harry shrugged. "It looks like it."

James was shaking his head. "I don't believe it. They shouldn't be putting you in front of the whole Wizengamot! Especially for the small charge they had you up for!"

"Come on, I'll take you two back. I'm sure the others will want to know the verdict."

Taking Harry by the shoulders, James escorted his son out of the Ministry and back to Grimmauld Place.

**TBC**

**To me this seems like the worst chapter I have written. Oh, and Danielle Marson will not become a love interest. He's bound to meet up with old school friends, right? I was going to put in a memory but I wasn't sure that it was appropriate for the chapter seeing as how he had Harry to worry about throughout it. **

**Thank you's go to the following: **angelicmayuka;Lunatic Pandora1; twinsrthebest; amrawo; Kim Kotchanski; IamSiriusgrl; Crazy-Physco; HarrysGrrl; HandsOff; XyliaDark; shazia)Riavera; lovenhope; Inumaru12; **and** shannyauburn; .

**I also want to say thanks to those who reviewed: **Harry and James: The Potters in the Snow. All questions regarding that will (hopefully!) be answered later on in this story. Oh, and Ron and Hermione did know that the dog in that one-shot was Sirius.

**Responses: **

**LiLaZnGrLy: **The missing scene is set between Chapter 22 and Chapter 23, however it doesn't really spoil the coming chapters. I've been careful to avoid that. The only thing you will notice is that James is at Hogwarts with Sirius but you don't know why. In two chapters time (chapter 11) you will find out why they are there. You don't have to wait to find out why. It was just a short fun fic that is related to the story but has nothing to do with the plot. Thank you for reading!

**FutureGodess: **James really needed someone who he could trust with information about Lily and Harry not knowing anything about his mother is the best candidate. I didn't want James to forget her which is why sometimes he will act strangely as if he is in a dream. I hope you liked this chapter.

**jb: **Was this chapter long enough?

**littlewolf-moony: **I apologise if you felt the chapter was a bit rushed but I didn't want James to get upset halfway through his talk with Harry. His aim was to tell Harry about his mother and he did that. Once he had done that he could cry and feel upset over it better. I'm still working out how to describe James' feelings and expressions but I think I'm gradually getting there. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

**ambereyes2873: **DOH! I forgot to add in Gred and Forge's encounter with James! They actually don't know who the Marauders are yet (according to me, because we are never told this information in the book so I'm assuming they haven't been told yet) but they start figuring it out and they talk to James about it in Chapter 13. Unfortunately I can't move it back to an earlier chapter because it just wouldn't fit. Thank you for reminding me!

**floro13: **James and Snape will encounter each other eventually. I don't mind long reviews so keep writing whatever you want. Thanks for reading!

**Lady Taliesin: **First let me thank you for a marvellous and thoroughly interesting reviews. I will answer both of them here. Now, lets start with your review for Chapter 8: Oh, sorry that you got a D on your Maths test. I got the same grade on my GCSE exams last summer and had to retake it in November. I revised extra hard to pass which I managed to do - I just crossed the border to get a C mark. Yes, I have heard that quote many times. Don't worry over tests - I try not to and it usually helps me work better. I practically fell about laughing when reading about the 'gruelling battle of morality' and at the end of that about impressing Lily…so funny. I don't know why but it made me laugh. First reviewer to do that… I was going to put in that Lily had slapped him when he asked her to Hogsmeade but I didn't think Harry would like to hear that Lily had done that. I was a bit apprehensive about Snape in love with Lily so I didn't go into too much detail. I mean, if Lily was a nice looking girl then lots of boys might've liked her, but were afraid to approach her because of refusal. I took the gamble that Snape could be a bit different and might like Lily a bit. I'm glad you've told me that it fit into the story. At the moment nothing more will come of it. Giggles Yes, sorry about James mentioning about his first 'night' with Lily. I know some authors that would go very graphic into it, but I thought James should just mention it in passing… I didn't know how to add Harry into James' speech so I left him on the side listening and feeling sad. I think if I'd focused more on him, James' speech wouldn't have come out as well as it did. As for Harry crying, he has never known his mother so I reckon he wouldn't cry or get teary when James is talking about her. If he had a chance to meet her and then she died, then I believe he would. And I don't mind long reviews, either.

Okay, onto your other review for the one-shot: Yes, we got snow on the 2nd and 3rd March. Stupid English weather…Grrrr! Actually the best part was that the Sixth Form (where I am) got sent home as there wasn't enough teachers to do lessons. The rest had to stay, but were sent home later as it got really bad…and that's the worst we've had since 1987…I think. The snow always misses where I live so its actually a welcome change….and it's also the inspiration for the little one-shot as well. Killing off James….never….at least I'm not thinking of it… yet. He's still there at the current end of Prongs Rides Again (why am I telling you this?) which is the end of OOTP, and I'm hoping to continue the story through into the 'Half-Blood Prince' but that might be hard since I might not have time to read it when the time the book comes out and the OOTP plot of Prongs Rides Again might have ended by then! There might be a long time before chapters in July…but it depends. You'll find out about James and Sirius' situation at Hogwarts in Chapter Eleven. James will teach a subject that no one has guessed yet. I don't think you'll expect it and it'll be a change from the norm as well… Well, thank you for sticking with me so far, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm looking forward to reading what you think of it!

**Next chapter: The Godmother **- James shows Harry a memory, and he also has an interesting proposition for one of the members of the Order of the Phoenix…**Read it on Wednesday!**

**Thank you reading, **

**MissBlackPotter**


	10. The Godmother

**Here is Chapter Ten, it is a bit shorter then the last one but at least it's long and not three pages which is what I thought I'd be writing! **

**Review Responses at the bottom!**

**Prongs Rides Again**

**Chapter Ten: The Godmother**

"I knew it!" Ron yelled, jumping up and down.

Hermione sighed. "They were bound to clear you. They had no case against you."

James sat watching Harry tell his friends what had happened at the Hearing. In fact he was pleased Harry hadn't been expelled but there had been the threat. If Fudge could've got the whole court onto his side then there would have been no hope for Harry, but because of lack of evidence, the case had been dropped, and Harry could return to Hogwarts on September 1st.

James saddened at that prospect. He loved his son, but he had hardly the chance to know him before he left again. Who knew when he would see Harry again?

Mrs Weasley's voice echoed over the conversation between Ron, Hermione and Harry. "That's enough - Fred - George - Ginny!"

James grinned as the three started the annoying words again.

"He got off, he got off, he got off..."

Harry slid into a chair next to James, relief spreading across his face. "I can't believe that they cleared me. I mean, I know you've told me there was no case, but it just seems so unbelievable that I thought I wouldn't see Hogwarts again."

"Well, you had support from some members of the Ministry. At least they don't all think you are a nutter."

Harry shrugged. "That's good to know."

* * *

Harry slouched into the kitchen. His eyes scanned the small room searching for his father. James sat at the table, flicking through the Daily Prophet, a crease on his forehead as he frowned at the various articles that he read. 

"Hey, kiddo." James said as Harry shuffled forward. "What's up?"

"Ron's a prefect. We've just got our Hogwarts letters, and he and Hermione have been chosen as the new Gryffindor prefects."

"And you're upset because of that?" James forwarded.

Harry laughed. "No…just jealous that Dumbledore didn't consider me for the job."

"He thought that with all that's going on, you wouldn't be able to cope with it." James chose his words carefully but knew instantly that he had said the wrong things.

Harry's green eyes flashed, just like Lily's used to do when she was angry. "Cope with it? COPE? I've coped more then those two ever have! I think I deserve some responsibility for once!"

James sighed. "I felt the same way when Remus became prefect instead of me. I thought I would make a good prefect because I was popular and sought-after boy in the year."

Stifling a laugh, Harry covered his mouth with his hands, grinning. His anger was now forgotten. "Were you really like that? Did you really think you were better then everyone else?"

James shrugged, a similar grin sliding onto his face. "Well, Sirius didn't help matters. I mean, come on, Harry, I was always at the top of the class and insanely popular with the ladies. When you have that many girls chasing after you…"

Harry raised his eyebrows in disbelief. "And you thought those qualities would get you to be a prefect?"

"I thought it would, obviously I was wrong. Dumbledore made me head-boy though. I don't know what he saw in me."

"He saw something," Harry muttered, "Maybe he thought some responsibility would do you some good."

"Probably." James grinned as an idea slowly began to form.

"What?"

"Harry, ever seen a pensieve before?"

"Yeah…why?"

"Do you want to see a memory of Lily nagging Remus to turn Sirius and I in to McGonagall?"

Harry's face lit up. "Are you sure you'd want to do that?"

"I don't mind. I need to get over Lily. Viewing a memory might help me in that respect. I still want to remember her, but I don't want it to hurt anymore. I think this might be a good way to get past it."

"Okay then. I'd love to see a memory." Harry agreed.

* * *

Luckily when they had been cleaning the Black home, Sirius had unearthed a Pensieve that had once belonged to his father. All the memories were gone. Not wanting to get rid of it, Sirius had placed it in a cupboard in the drawing room in case anyone wished to use it. He also knew that James might have a need for it in case he found the memories of Lily too much for him to handle. Frankly it was an easy way to let go of your grief but James wasn't willing to take the road unless he realised he could never heal. 

Taking Harry into the drawing room, James told him to sit while he retrieved the Pensieve from the cupboard. Placing it in front of Harry, James standing beside it, the elder Potter placed his wand on his head and then pulled it away, white stuff coming out and placing it in the Pensieve. James twirled his wand inside it and then looked at Harry.

"It's all ready."

Swallowing, Harry stood up and approached the Pensieve. Cautiously he peered over the side, excitement gnawing at his insides. He looked quickly up at his father.

"Go on," James urged.

Leaning over the edge, Harry placed his head in the swirling mists and then hauled himself through, falling into James' memory. His father did not follow him. This is what he witnessed:

_The corridor was full of students: Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws and Slytherins. The perfect place to play a prank on someone. Of course, anyone who was silly enough to annoy James Potter knew what was coming. Yet Severus Snape had yet to learn that particular lesson. _

_James Potter stood with his friends, talking and laughing with Sirius, and trading poisonous looks at Snape. Neither of them could resist the urge to curse him. Snape, after all, had tried to get them expelled a month ago, just because they had been near the Whomping Willow. The reason of this was because of Remus. Being a werewolf had caused James, Sirius and Peter all to become Animagi and every full moon they would join their friend in his transformations. Of course, Snape wanted nothing more then to get then expelled and disgraced from Hogwarts…and even though becoming Animagi was illegal without the proper authorities knowing about it, James and Sirius was sure that if Dumbledore found out he would allow them to continue to do this, even if it was out-of-bounds. _

_Sirius turned to James, a nasty grin sliding onto his face. "Here he comes, Prongs." _

_James gripped his wand tightly, a smug smile on his face. _

_Peter stood nearby, enthusiasm etched on to his face. _

_Remus simple rolled his eyes and tried to not give a disapproving look. As a prefect it was his job to stop rascals like James from causing trouble but he could not control them. Besides, Remus knew, James was just having fun. He never meant anything of it. _

_As Snape continued towards them, unknowingly that the next few minutes would become hell, James walked forward, pretending to look the other way when Snape walked into him. Just as planned, James turned blazing hazel eyes onto his enemy and claimed: "Watch where you're going slimeball!"_

_The insult was enough to encourage Snape to continue the argument. _

"_Watch where you are going, Mudblood lover." Snape spat in return. _

_James glared at him, rising his wand. He had been about to push past Snape when the insult had been thrown. If none had been returned, James would've cursed him anyway, but at least if he was caught he would have a good reason. Insulting him was provoking him. In six years, Snape had yet to learn that if he didn't say anything then perhaps James would leave him alone. Not even James could believe he would do that, but you would've thought Snape would've learned. _

"_How dare you?" James hissed. "How dare you say that about me?" _

_Snape raised his own wand. "How ironic, Potter. You are, after all, in love with a Mudblood. All Mudbloods are the same, unworthy to be at this school, slime that should be got rid of. Of course, I can't expect you to understand that…especially since your family has been polluted." _

_James uncle had married a Muggle-born, which was what Snape was referring to. Anger flashed through him like fire, and his hand tightened. In a flash of a second he cast the body-bind on Snape, who could not react fast enough to block. _

_Toppling over, Snape fell, hitting his head on the floor. Students laughed at his misfortune. He scowled. Weaving his wand around in the air, James levitated Snape so that he swished from side to side, hitting him into walls and nearly causing him to hit his head on the ceiling, but James wasn't that cruel to harm him physically…much. _

"_You should really think before you say anything to me." James reprimanded him. "That was your last mis-" _

_Before he could finish his sentence a fluffy of red hair approached him, green eyes blazing. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING, POTTER!" _

"_Defending people like you," James answered, as he caused Snape to bump the wall to his right, face on. _

_Lily's eyes blazed. "I DON'T NEED YOU DEFENDING PEOPLE LIKE ME! WE'RE CAPABLE OF DOING IT OURSELVES! JUST BECAUSE WE DON'T DO IT YOUR WAY, DOESN'T MEAN WE LEAVE IT! YOU ARE A CONCEITED PRAT! LEAVE HIM ALONE!"_

"_Don't you remember, Lily, that Snevillus called you a 'filthy m…' after the O.W.Ls and that you wouldn't bother next time." Sirius interjected. _

_Lily turned her burning gaze on him. "YOU ARE JUST LIKE POTTER! CONCEITED AND ARROGANT! JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE POPULAR DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN GO ROUND CURSING WHO KNOWS WHAT!" _

"_It's just for fun." Sirius said. _

"_And its all for you." James said, throwing a charming smile at Lily. _

_Lily went mad. "DO YOU THINK THAT IMPRESSES ME? WELL IT DOESN'T! IT SICKENS ME! EVERYTHING YOU DO MAKES ME WISH THAT I'D NEVER EVEN MET YOU! GROW UP FOR ONCE JAMES!" _

_James' smile faded. Obviously his plan to get Lily to like him was failing. Why didn't she like it when he showed her what he could do? _

"_I think you should leave it, Prongs." Remus spoke up suddenly. "You're not going to change her mind this way." _

_James sighed, and then lifted the curse binding Snape. "There, is that better Evans?" _

_Lily scowled. "Better, but Remus and I should still report you." _

_James' mouth fell open. "Oh come on, I wasn't doing anything wrong." _

"_Anything wrong?" Lily asked. "You were practising magic in the corridors! You know that you shouldn't do that!" _

"_Rules are made to be broken." Sirius lazed. _

"_Are they? Then clearly the amount of detentions you've had has had no effect on you!" _

_Sirius grinned, but Lily's eyes glared into his. "I'm not fussed, besides what's the point of keeping the rules when they are much more fun when you break the?" _

_Lily shook her head. Sirius Black was impossible to understand and she doubted she would ever know him properly. "It's my duty to. All those other times I've let you go, but not this time. Come on, Remus, we've got to go and report them." _

_People were watching him with sharp eyes, curiosity filling them. He frowned. On one hand James and Sirius had been doing wrong, but on the other James was his friend, someone who had chosen to stand by him. How could he betray him like this? _

"_I can't Lily." _

"_Why not?" she demanded. "It's our duty." _

"_Maybe, but I can't betray James that way." Remus replied, seeking for Lily to understand, but he knew that she had no idea what James and Sirius had done for him, unless they told her everything, but he was not ready for Lily to know his deepest, darkest secrets. _

_Sensing turmoil in his friends eyes, James stepped forward and laid a hand on his shoulder. He turned to regard the black-haired boy. _

"_Go on, report us. Let Lily get her way for once." James smiled. "I honestly don't mind. If it's your job, as a Prefect, to report unruly troublemakers," he glanced at Lily and she scowled, "then do it. It won't be betrayal." _

_Remus smiled lightly. "Your sure?" _

_James nodded. "Yeah, go on." _

"_Thanks for making this easy." Remus replied, and then he turned to Lily. "All right, I'm coming." _

_The crowd watching the small confrontation slowly drifted apart and James returned to stand between Sirius and Peter. Snape had left long ago, cursing to get back at James. _

"_I can't believe you actually let Remus report you." Peter squeaked, overwhelmed. He had been enjoying himself. _

_James shrugged. "I knew that Lily wasn't going to back down, so I thought I'd make the decision for Remus easier by letting him turn me in, I mean, one more detention can't hurt can it?" _

"_I suppose so." Peter said. _

_James shook his head. "Besides, if Lily thinks turning me in will change who I am trying to portray to her, then she's got another thing coming. I'm not going to stop until I've shown her what I can do." _

_The other two laughed. James was fun, but he was completely hopeless at girls. _

* * *

Harry was pulled back out of the Pensieve by his father when the memory had finished. James was grinning widely as he regarded his son. 

"Well, what do you think?"

Harry smirked. "You certainly were popular but you had no idea how to get mum to like you."

James shrugged, not fussed. "At least I managed to prove to her how sensible I could be."

Harry shook his head. "I have to agree with mum: you were arrogant."

"I know and I am ashamed by what I did. At least those memories are ones I can treasure forever. Without them, I don't think I'd be able to live. Your mum was very special to me…and I wasted six years of it by being a prat. But in a way, I wasn't ready for her when I was eleven and neither was she. It was only through our experiences as Head-Boy and Head-Girl could we truly get to know each other."

Glancing up at his father, Harry wrapped his arms round James, comforting him. "Mum would be proud of you. You're living your life even though you love her so much."

James smiled. He was glad to be with Harry, happy that his son was alive and able to share his life with him.

* * *

"Molly, can I ask you something?" James sat at the table in the kitchen, watching Molly Weasley cook dinner for the rest of the household. Harry, Ron and Hermione were having a little celebration upstairs, corresponding to the fact that Ron and Hermione were Prefects. Ginny, Fred and George were elsewhere, and Sirius was with Buckbeak in his room, moping, and Remus was away. 

"What is it James?" Molly asked, turning to face the elder Potter.

James frowned, unable to put thoughts into words. Finally he settled upon these: "I know you have a large family and I doubt you'd take on an eighth child, but I was wondering, if anything ever happened to me, again, that you would consider raising Harry. I know he's almost grown up, but I would like a mother to be there for him. I was hoping you'd take on that role." He faltered.

"What do you mean?"

James swallowed. "Sirius is Harry's Godfather, but he has no Godmother. I was hoping that perhaps you would take that honour."

Mrs Weasley gasped.

"I've seen that you care a lot for Harry and you'd do anything to see him happy and safe. It would mean a lot to me to know that he would be welcome with you. You don't have to take it if you don't want to, but I love Harry so much, and it's not fair that he has no mother. He has me, his father, for now, and he has Sirius as well, but if something happened to both of us, he'd have nowhere else to go…"

Molly nodded, understanding. "I will do it James, as Harry is like a son to me, just like Ron is."

"Thank you. I knew I could rely on you."

**TBC**

**Anyone expect Molly Weasley to be asked to be Harry's Godmother? I've seen stories where Arabella Figg is his Godmother but I just don't see that happening…so I picked Molly. **

**Thank you's go to the following: **ambereyes2873 (now you know that the Godmother is not an OC but a beloved character); PrincessSkywalkerOrgana; Smorefan; Lunatic Pandora1; Inumaru12; Kim Kotchanski; HarrysGrrl; IamSiriusgrl; HandsOff; Jb; LiLaZnGrLy; Red-head attack;amrawo; sirius-black-sfan; dweem-angel **and** RoschLupin-Black.

**Crazy-Physco: **James has passed the Apparation Test.

**darkdanny: **I have read many James come back to life stories myself and I have tried to keep to canon as well as not going off on a silly course route that some authors may do. I have planned the majority of this story out; all I need to do is add the detail in. To answer your questions: I can't really say anything about what will happen to Sirius. He may still die, he may not, you'll have to find out and see what happens to him. Cho Chang will not make an appearance (in my plan I have not put her in, but when it comes to a scene which could feature her in it, I might think about adding her in, but whether she will come into the story, I have no clue at the present time. Thank you for your generous review and giving this story a chance.

**magicgirl45852: **I forgot to send the message due to time pressures. Hopefully you should've got a message for this chapter's update.

**Silverspecter: **Bad luck that you've been busy…I hate science too but at least I don't have to do that subject again unless I want to improve my mark in the future (I really don't understand it!). I am trying to keep the story true to the OOTP while changing a few major things in the story. I hope you liked this chapter!

**maya100: **James does want Harry to know the Prophecy but he's just got his father back. James doesn't want to spoil the fun he could have with Harry and that will happen when he finds out about the Prophecy. He's also trying to protect him.

**floro13: **I am English and I don't watch Eastenders (but I do watch Emmerdale). I didn't want James forgetting Lily so quickly because that is not how grief usually works. I lost my Great-granddad when I was eight and it took me a while to get over that. A few people I know (but not family) have recently died and the people close to them are still suffering after a few months, so I'm basing James' grief on that, even though the people who have died are all men and the people grieving are their widows. Thank you for the review!

**littlewolf-moony: **Yes, James does have a right to tell Harry about the Prophecy, but later on we will find out his reasons why he did so. I didn't want to show Harry's hearing because James wouldn't be allowed in the court room, so I thought it would be a waste of time copying out passages from the book. And Percy has still broken up with his family. There will be a chapter (later on) with Percy's letter to Ron in it and James will read it too. Thank you for the comments.

**Lady Taliesin: **Yes, I spent a lot of time replying to your review, and now I'm doing so again (I honestly don't mind - the way you write your review gives you a sort of personality in my mind instead of just some reader who leaves a few excellent comments!) Right, now onto your 3-paged review…(according to Microsoft Word). Yeah…I see what you mean by that line _'I know Dumbledore asked you to escort him to the Ministry but he is my son and I do have a duty to perform.'_ What James was trying to say was that he did want to escort Harry and he wants to protect him. He feels that if he can't he'll be letting his son down for the second time. About the contradiction: What I'm trying (attempting to say) is that Voldie will appear when he's sure Harry is alone and has no one to protect him. James us saying that Voldie will eventually reveal himself but only when he needs to, but if the opportunity arose he would reveal himself to get Harry. As long as James protects his son, Voldemort will not reveal himself until he is ready to do so - does that make sense? You're not the only one who felt sorry for Dumbledore in OOTP, I did too. I mean he was trying to protect Harry for as long as possible, and that's what he is continually doing. **(author starts laughing and then falls off chair - her whole ICT class stares at her) **Another of those little scenes, so funny. You've got a good spot for humour. Besides James can't be normal…I think even Dumbledore would be worried if he reverted back to his old days…unfortunately no way will James be back to normal. In the sentence 'You've got a lot to learn Harry.' James is basically saying that he needs to learn more about the Wizarding World and that he will be there to help him - he would never be mean to his son. Unfortunately people don't believe that James is alive and think it is an insane Death Eater running around. Any Death Eater is insane…(apart from Wormtail - he's just a bit dim and stupid - does anyone even like him at all?). Ooops, I forget to put in the disclaimer for the article so here it is (I do not own the Stubby/Sirius article that is found in Chapter nine of Prongs Rides Again) I will remember to do that next time. You got that right about Danielle. She's just an old school friend. She may pop up again later on but at the moment she won't be. No girl on earth could make James forget Lily. He loved her and will not get another girl because love that deep should never be replaced. He's on his own, with the exception of Harry. All the love he felt for Lily is now on Harry. If he wasn't there, James would have no one to help him stay alive for. Yay, you liked the chapter! Good guess on what you think James will teach…you'll find out next chapter. Thank you for the charming and lovely review. I hope you liked this chapter.

**Next Chapter: Dumbledore's Job Opportunity **- James receives an unexpected request from the Headmaster…to teach something, but what is it? Any guesses? Find out at the **weekend!**

**Thank you for reading, **

**MissBlackPotter **


	11. Dumbledore's Job Opportunity

**This chapter is dedicated to Lady Taliesin and LiLaZnGrLy for correctly guessing what subject James will teach at Hogwarts! Well done! **

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* * *

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**Prongs Rides Again**

**Chapter Eleven: Dumbledore's Job Opportunity**

The beginning of the new Hogwarts Term came too fast for James' liking. He had hardly met his son when he was back to school. On the morning of the departure, mayhem occurred in the house, with the Weasley Twins making it exceptionally difficult for the others to get ready. With Mrs Black's screeching echoing throughout the house, and the rushing of feet up and down the stairs, James found it a struggle to even get a chance to speak to Harry.

Finally he managed to extract Harry from the hustle and bustle of the main house and lead him into a side-room where he could speak to him in peace without the constant interruption from Fred and George. Looking at his son, James felt immensely proud. On the night of his death, the last time he had faced Voldemort, James had feared that he would never see his son again. In fact, if he hadn't been given a second chance, he wouldn't have seen Harry at this age anyway, instead his son would be left with just images of his parents and wondering whether his parents had truly loved him.

"Harry," James began, "I want you to promise me something."

Harry swallowed, waiting.

"I know that I was a rebel at school and I never did what I was told but you, Harry, are important to me. I don't want to lose you, especially after what happened last year to you." his mouth felt dry. "I want you to promise me you won't do anything drastic. Remain safe and don't venture anywhere where you know you could be hurt. I know I can trust you with this, but please, I would like a promise."

Harry saw pain reflecting in his father's eyes. How could he not refuse him? James was his father and cared for him. He had made a similar promise before when Sirius had been on the lose and the Weasleys had believed him to be trying to murder Harry. Mr Weasley had asked Harry to promise him to not go 'looking for Black' and Harry had kept that promise. James would be disappointed if he didn't do what he asked. With Voldemort on the loose anything was possible.

"I promise dad. I'll stay at Hogwarts, apart from going to Hogsmeade on the weekends we can go. Fair?"

James nodded, and ruffled Harry's hair. "Thanks. Have fun at Hogwarts. Live your childhood while you can. You deserve it after all you've done."

Stepping forward father and son hugged. Neither knew when they would see each other again. They had barely got to know one another, and now they were parting. And it was this that made James feel bad. He needed to be near Harry in order to keep his promise. How could he do that when his son was at Hogwarts and he was working for the Order?

* * *

James watched Sirius say farewell to Harry. Since the hearing nearly three weeks ago, James had discovered how much Sirius cared for his godson. Though he hadn't had the chance to raise him, Sirius had explained to James that he had tried to look out for Harry after his escape. He had even said that on the night he had sneaked into Gryffindor Tower and into Harry's dormitory, he had stood looking at Harry before proceeding to try and kill Wormtail. At least Sirius had thought of Harry even when Harry had no clue about Sirius' true motive for escaping Azkaban. 

Harry glanced at his father, waved and smiled, turning towards the door where Mrs Weasley stood waiting and then stepped out into the street. James sighed, wishing that he could go with his son to the station, unfortunately Dumbledore had asked to speak to him with Sirius, therefore preventing either Sirius or James from accompanying Harry.

"I miss him already," James murmured.

Sirius turned to look at him. A frown was on his face, but his eyes were sad. "At least you're still here, James, I won't be bored out of my mind."

Laughing James turned to walk down the hallway to the kitchen where Dumbledore was due to the meet them. "I might not be here for long, Padfoot. I have a feeling Dumbledore might have something for me to do."

Sirius scowled in annoyance.

"He did ask to see you as well. Maybe you can come along too."

"Unlikely, since he told me I can't leave the house. My safety is more important."

Folding his arms, James retorted: "He's right, you know, I don't want you thrown back in Azkaban for something you didn't do. If you go outside you might be caught. You said it yourself, Fudge wouldn't even hesitate to give you to the Dementors."

Sirius remained silent and followed his friend through Grimmauld Place to the kitchen. As they entered the small room, they found Albus Dumbledore sitting at the table, looking old and wisely at them.

"Thank you for coming."

Seating themselves so they were facing the headmaster, James spoke the unspoken question. "What did you want to speak to us about?"

"I came to offer you a job."

"A job?" Sirius scoffed. "Seriously?"

Dumbledore nodded. "Well, James the job."

"What is it?" James asked, excitement rising in the pit of his stomach. Was he going to go to Hogwarts? Was this an opportunity to spend the year with Harry?

"Rubeus Hagrid has yet to return from the Giants. I do not know when he will arrive, therefore, James I would like you to, if you are willing, to teach Care of Magical Creatures to the students. I would have asked you to take the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts, unfortunately one of Fudge's lackeys have got the job. He appointed her to look over Hogwarts and see how Fudge can influence the public to see Hogwarts as being run wrongly."

"Who is 'her'?"

Dumbledore smiled. "Dolores Umbridge, the senior undersecretary to the Minister, and Fudge's most loyal supporter. It is quite unfortunate that she is teaching the fifth years, as her teaching methods are quite different from what they have had so far."

James frowned. "Doesn't seem fair that the Ministry is keeping watch on Hogwarts." he sighed. "Do you want me to take this job?"

The headmaster nodded. "I would. It would give you an opportunity to spend time with Harry and keep a look out on him."

"It would be nice, yes, I will take the job." James announced. The prospect of spending time with Harry was too much to turn down. Though he would have to teach Slytherins, James found he was not entirely fussed over it. At least he could hand out detentions to people instead of receiving them himself. He grinned at Sirius who wore a look of disappointment.

"What about Sirius? Can't he come to?"

Sirius sought out Dumbledore's eyes. All the other time he had requested to leave the house had been denied, he doubted this would change now. However…

"As long as Sirius remains in his Animagus form throughout the day and in the company of students, I do not see why not he cannot be allowed to come with you, James. Only in your rooms could you be in human form."

"I can leave the house? Even when you've told me that I'm not allowed?" Sirius asked, surprised at Dumbledore's change of heart.

"I am doing it because James would not want to be alone. Also I can rely on James to defend you if you were discovered. Of course, it is up to you if you want to put your life on the line. Do be aware that if you are discovered or caught, it is likely that you won't be given a chance to explain yourself."

Sirius nodded. He understood the risks and this was his only chance of being with James. True he would be outside but could he stand being a dog for so long? Of course he could. Besides he couldn't chicken out saying he was afraid. If someone discovered him, he could get out. James would protect him. He glanced at his friend who was staring at him with wide eyes, waiting for his answer.

A smile crept onto his face and he grinned. "I'll take the risk."

"Yes," James punched the air, happy that his best friend could join him at Hogwarts. "Excellent. We can have so much fun."

Dumbledore cleared his throat. "As the school term starts today, I expect you two to arrive this afternoon, ready for the Feast. Classes will begin tomorrow."

James nodded. "We'll come as soon as we can."

"I'll see you later, gentleman." And then, with a bow, the Headmaster left, leaving the two Wizards to exchange glances and then laugh. It seemed impossible that James would be teaching students.

"At least you can pass on your superior knowledge of Magical Creatures. Maybe you should show them your Animagus form."

James scowled. "That is my secret. If they knew I was an Animagus they might begin to question the fact that you might be the dog. It's common knowledge that you were my best friend."

"Good point." Sirius mumbled. "Hey, do you even remember anything about magical creatures?"

James frowned. "I remember some things. As long as I have lots of books on them, I'm sure I can do fine."

"We'll see just how good Prongs can teach the Prongslet and his friends."

"Don't call him that!"

* * *

James walked into the Hogwarts Great Hall with Sirius (in his Animagus Form) at his side. The students wouldn't arrive for another couple of hours so James was free to wander round the school. The last time he had been here, he had been eighteen years old. He had missed the school and had always hoped to come back one day to see Harry graduate. At least he had the chance - and the possibility - to do so now. 

His eyes flew to the Gryffindor House Table. There had been many memories sitting there. Small laughter found its way into his throat and he chuckled as he remembered a time when he and Sirius had caused Snape's hair to turn bright red and gold using a potion they had created and dipping it into his food. The joke had been priceless and the two, unfortunately, had been caught. A month's worth of detentions hadn't deterred them from doing it again, even when Lily Evans had made them stop.

Sirius looked up at him, growling softly. Turning his head, James saw the source of Sirius' growl. Severus Snape was walking towards them, a perpetual scowl in place, however Dumbledore walked beside him, therefore preventing James from shouting an insult.

"Severus." He said, politely, trying to act civil, though he realised it would take time before he recognised Snape as one of Dumbledore's own.

"Potter." Snape spat, looking livid. "I see that you are well."

"Severus." Dumbledore warned.

"Apologies headmaster. I do not mean to sound so disrespectful."

The headmaster fixed Snape and James with a glare and then spoke in his soft, wisdom voice. "I want you to two to stop this petty squabbling. You are working together at this school. You may hold a certain dislike for each other, but that was in the past. Just be civil with each other. We cannot have Cornelius Fudge finding out about silly hatred arcs between teachers now can we?"

James shook his head. "No." He held out his hand. "I'm willing to start again, if you'd let me, after all, I do regret everything that I ever did to you. Lily made me see that. I am sorry for everything, and I know it is not enough, but I'm willing to try." James smiled. "James Potter, Professor of Care of Magical Creatures."

Reluctantly, it seemed, Snape took James' hand and shook it. "Sorry, isn't good enough, Pott - James. I can't forget what you put me through for seven years, but I am open to working alongside you, on one condition." His eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Oh, and what's that?" James asked.

Sirius growled. A sudden urge erupted within him. He wanted to bite Snape for rejecting James' offering of peace.

"You keep _him _away from me." The Potion's Master pointed to Sirius in his dog form, his eyes flashing dangerously.

James considered him for a moment, but then, with hardly an ounce of delay agreed. "All right, as long as you be civil to Harry. I know you hate him because of me. I'll keep _Snuffles _away from you, as long as you don't torment Harry."

Snape glared but reluctantly took up on the offer. James grinned down at Sirius who whacked his tail on the floor.

* * *

"It's wonderful to see you again, James." 

"You haven't changed a bit, Professor." James returned.

Minerva McGonagall laughed. "You won't get away with that now, James, I can tell you. But, please, when in the company of other teachers you have my consent to call me Minerva. You're not a student any more. It won't harm you by calling me by my first name."

James grinned, delighted.

She wagged a finger at him. "And I'd better not find you teaching the Weasley Twins tricks and jokes to play on us older types."

Laughing, James replied: "I doubt I'd get the time. Being a teacher seems like hard-work. Plus I've got to patrol the corridors on a Tuesday night. Much as I am looking forward to teaching, I'm not entirely sure I know the subject that well. I mean, out of the four of us, Care of Magical Creatures was the subject that we hardly learnt anything in. Remus did well in it, but that's because the magical creatures fascinated him. He was also good at defence."

"Much as I recall, you were exceptionally good at Transfiguration. You were a good student at everything." She laid a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure you'll do fine. The students will be pleased to have you for a teacher, anyway."

"Why would that be?"

"You've seen death James. The first person to die and return. Their will be lots of questions. Students will admire you for continuing on in your life, even though you've lost the life you once had. You are a hero to them."

James swallowed. As McGonagall headed away, James looked at Sirius who was laying by his feet. "Do you really think I will be admired?"

Sirius only barked in reply.

**TBC**

**So, Snape is now in the equation…he, he, and Umbridge is not far behind (who will debut next chapter!). **

**Thank you's go to: **Eric2; Elizabeth Annette; shannyauburn; Xylia Dark; Kim Kotchanski; magicgirl45852; darkdanny; ambereyes2873; Silverspecter; Loonie Potter; Crazy-Physco; Marguerida; Handsoff; Olympics 2012 london; Werewolves are People Too;shazia)Riavera **and **PrincessSkywalkerOrgana.

**Responses: **

**empathicallychosen: **I really do like your story. It is different and unique, it's just that some people have probably never seen a story like that before and are reluctant to try it out, or that they've found that not many people have been interested so they don't read, but whatever you do don't give up writing it. I will try my best to catch every update but I'm not sure if I can, it would depend on what I've got to do in my spare time. Thanks for reading. (P.S Molly won't be in it much so don't worry over her)

**HarrysGrrl: **Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear HarrysGrrl. Happy birthday to you. (This is for last Wednesday). Enjoy this chapter!

**IamSiriusgrl: **James isn't teaching DADA, Umbridge is, so she's still in the story.

**angelicmayuka: **James did excel in Transfiguration but no one can replace McGonagall, unless she dies. More memories will come in the near future, I promise.

**LiLaZnGrLy: **I'm glad you liked Molly being the Godmother. Oooh, will Peter be in this story? Well, since he isn't in the Order of the Phoenix book then he shouldn't be in this story, however (you'll find out more about what Voldemort's doing later) Peter will turn up sometime near the end to do a dastardly deed for his lord. Don't get too excited: that won't happen for another twenty chapters or so. Harry has seen a Pensieve in the Goblet of Fire in Chapter 30 where he sees the trial of Crouch's son and the Lestranges. And CONGRATULATIONS on guessing what subject James teaches. You and Lady Taliesin were the only two who guessed correctly, which is why this chapter is dedicated to both of you. I hope you liked this chapter!

**Lady Taliesin: **Another long review! Yay! Anyway…sorry about the personality thing. You put so much work into reviewing and commenting that you make me feel you're standing right by me pointing out my mistakes, for which I am grateful. Basically, in a simpler sense, you've come alive for me. I have to agree with you about chat-speak. I hate it, and also I don't use it so I don't understand it very much either (which is a bit sad really especially since I'm 17 and people my age should know that, and I don't, but then no one LIKES me at school for some reason. I'm not odd or weird I'm just not into the same stuff the others are. Liking Harry Potter makes me an outcast, but I don't see why, oh well, I like being who I am anyway). Onto the response for the review now…right, I want to show James at different points of his recovery. He still is but there will be less of him falling apart now as he's getting used to it. I have read the Western Stars series: they are excellent stories. I just haven't put them on my fave lists yet. Thank you for your continuing appreciation of my characterisation. I didn't think that I was doing Harry that well. James is a bit easier because you don't know much about him and you can sort of create him as your own character. I have noticed that people seem to think Harry shouldn't go through the temper turns he does in the book as they think he's out of character and he's the type of person who wouldn't do that. But I have to disagree with that. Harry's a teenager! He's expected to be angry and temperamental with what he's been through. Honestly some people think he should just be all happy and thinking that I am popular. I don't see why people don't like Harry showing his anger! I honestly think he'll be worse in Book Six because of what happened at the end of book 5. Oh, and another one of your little scenes: a little over the top, but still funny and had me laughing for a while. I'm glad you like the memory. James was certainly a bit big-headed when he was at Hogwarts…trying to charm Lily into liking him…and causing Snape hell. I absolutely loved the way you described the Marauders in your review: _Moony was acting all indecisive prefect, Wormtail was acting all dimwitted and traitorous (not really, but…too bad. Don't like the guy. Don't know anyone who does), Padfoot was acting all hot and haughty, and Prongs was…a bit stupid, actually, but oh well. Still cute ). _That just made me laugh, and by the way, I don't mind Wormtail. He's all right up until he became a Death Eater, but my opinion my change when he see what his fate is in Book 6 or 7. I didn't expect many people to guess Molly as the Godmother but I saw her as the most logical choice being the motherly type and she does love Harry in that way, so I had her as the Godmother. I'm glad you liked the last chapter, and I hope this chapter met your expectations (in fact I hope the rest of the story meets to your expectations). I do get most of your ramblings, so please, don't stop doing them. Enjoy!

**Next chapter is entitled 'Meeting Longbottom' **in which James is introduced to the school and Umbridge makes an appearance…**this is a short chapter: sorry. Read it next Wednesday. **

**Thank you for all the reviews! **

**MissBlackPotter**


	12. Meeting Longbottom

**This chapter turned out longer then I expected, so it's not a short chapter as I said it would be. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Sorting Hat song found in this chapter - it belongs to JKRowling and Book5**

**Disclaimer 2: I do not own Dumbledore's or Umbridge's speech. They belong to JKRowling and Book5**

**Prongs Rides Again**

**Chapter Twelve: Meeting Longbottom **

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville sat down in the centre of the Gryffindor House Table, next to Nearly Headless Nick. Looking up at the Staff Table Harry was surprised to see a familiar face. What was his father doing at Hogwarts? Sure enough, James Potter was sitting comfortably in one of the chairs, his bright hazel eyes scanning the hall. Next to him, laying on the floor at his feet was a giant black dog, and Harry felt himself grin. James Potter and Sirius Black were at Hogwarts.

"What's your father doing here?" Hermione asked.

Harry frowned. "I reckon he's here for the Defence post."

"I don't think so, Harry." Hermione replied, "He wouldn't have set us a theory book then would he?"

"Theory book? How'd you know that?" Ron asked.

"Because the title is Defensive Magical Theory. James wouldn't set us something like that. I reckon that woman set us that."

Harry scanned the staff table and his eyes fell on a face that he recognised: a pallid, toadlike face and a pair of prominent pouchy eyes. His mouth fell open as he recognised the woman. "It's that Umbridge woman! She was at my hearing! She works for Fudge!"

"What is she doing here?" Hermione wondered.

"We'll found out soon enough," Harry muttered, as the new first years filed in.

Placing a hat on the stool, Professor McGonagall waited for the hat to burst into song. Harry leaned back in his seat listening.

* * *

_In times of old when I was new_

_And Hogwarts barely started_

_The founders of our noble school_

_Thought never to be parted:_

_United by a common goal,_

_They had the selfsame yearning,_

_To make the world's best magic school_

_And pass along their learning,_

'_Together we will build and teach!'_

_The four good friends decided_

_And never did they dream that they_

_Might someday be divided, _

_For were there such friends anywhere_

_As Slytherin and Gryffindor?_

_Unless it was the second pair_

_Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw?_

_So how could it have gone so wrong? _

_How could such friendships fail?_

_Why, I was there and so can tell_

_The whole sad, sorry tale._

_Said Slytherin "We'll teach those_

_Whose ancestry is purest." _

_Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose_

_Intelligence is surest."_

_Said Gryffindor, "We'll teach all those_

_With brave deeds to their name."_

_Said Hufflepuff, "I'll teach the lot,_

_And treat them just the same." _

_These differences caused little strife_

_When they first came to light,_

_For each of the four Founders had_

_A house in which they might_

_Take only those they wanted, so,_

_For instance, Slytherin_

_Took only pure-blooded wizards_

_Of great cunning, just like him,_

_And only those of sharpest mind_

_Were taught by Ravenclaw_

_While the bravest and the boldest _

_Went to daring Gryffindor._

_Good Hufflepuff, she took the rest,_

_And taught them all she knew, _

_Thus the houses and their founders_

_Retained friendships firm and true._

_So Hogwarts worked in harmony_

_For several happy years, _

_But then discord crept among us_

_Feeding on our faults and fears._

_The houses that, like pillars four, _

_Had once held up our school. _

_Now turned upon each other and, _

_Divided, sought to rule._

_And for a while it seemed the school_

_Must meet an early end,_

_What with duelling and with fighting_

_And the clash of friend on friend_

_And at last there came a morning_

_When old Slytherin departed_

_And though the fighting then died out_

_He left us quite downhearted._

_And never since the founders four_

_Were whittled down to three _

_Have the houses been united_

_As they once were meant to be._

_And now the Sorting Hat is here_

_And you all know the score:_

_I sort you into houses_

_Because that is what I'm here for,_

_But this year I'll go further,_

_Listen closely to my song:_

_Though condemned I am split you_

_Still I worry that its wrong,_

_Though I must fulfil my duty_

_And must quarter every year_

_Still I wander whether Sorting_

_May not bring the end I fear._

_Oh, know the perils, read the signs,_

_The warning history shows,_

_For our Hogwarts is in danger_

_From external, deadly foes_

_And we must unite inside her_

_Or we'll crumble from within_

_I have told you, I have warned you…_

_Let the Sorting now begin._

James listened to the hats song, entranced by the longevity of it all. Never in all his years at Hogwarts had the hat ever sprung such a song. The return of Voldemort had changed its way of thinking. The dark lord was a threat. Obviously the hatred that had cultivated during his years at Hogwarts had continued throughout, growing steadily worse and causing the houses to split apart. Gryffindor and Slytherin had to be at the top of the argument.

They always had been. Grimacing James sat back to watch as the sorting commenced. As he listened his mind wondered back to his own Sorting in September 1971, which had occurred twenty-four years ago. He sighed absentmindedly as he recalled his friend's being sorted, as well as getting his first glimpse of Lily.

_James stood with the other eleven year olds waiting to see what house he would spend his time in. His parents had both been Gryffindors, and he fervently hoped that he could carry on the legacy his father had left behind. _

_The witch who was calling the names out, voice rang high as she told 'Black, Sirius' to step forward and be sorted. James had grown up knowing much about the purebloods of the Wizarding World, but he had never met someone who went against their family's views. Though he didn't know Sirius that well, he could already tell he was different. If he wasn't sorted into Slytherin, then perhaps they could be friends. James had been polite out of principle and also they had sat together on the train. If he was a Slytherin that would change their future friendship. Crossing his fingers he waited. _

"_GRYFFINDOR!"_

_The hall was silent. No one had expected that. Then Dumbledore began clapping and the rest of the hall followed. Eyes sweeping over the Slytherin table, James saw the other Black relatives, glowering with rage. Yet James didn't seem to care. If he made it to Gryffindor he had at least a friend to rely on. _

_Consumed by his own thoughts the next few people rushed by, until McGonagall called out 'Evans, Lily'. He felt his breath drain away as his hazel eyes caught sight of a lovely redhead, bundle forward, excitement evident on her features. As the hat settled on her head, James saw startling green eyes staring out at the hall, and he immediately felt something stir within him. _

"_She's beautiful," he whispered, entranced. _

_James gulped, apprehensive. Would they be in the same house? Then the hat proclaimed Lily Evans a Gryffindor. Delighted, James could only think of the fun they could have once they had a chance to get together. _I'm going to marry her._ he thought. _

_The Sorting continued. Another boy, James had sat with on the train, Remus Lupin, was also sorted into Gryffindor. Quite pleased, he was glad that he had two friends to rely on, and a third a romantic interest. If he was a Gryffindor…_

_He felt nerves stir up inside him as he waited. Just as he began to think they would never get to his name, 'Pettigrew, Peter' was sorted into Gryffindor (after five minutes) and finally it was James' turn. Numbly and conscious of all the eyes watching him, James sat himself upon the stall and waited. _

_The hat was lowered onto his head and James heard a voice echo inside. _

"_Well, I know you…you're exceptionally brave just like your father…a good brain…a good trait of Ravenclaw…but that house is not for you…especially for someone of your blood…"_

_James swallowed, hoping. _

"_It had better be GRYFFINDOR!" _

_Elated James grinned broadly and made his way to the Gryffindor table where he sat next to Sirius, and face-to-face with Lily. His heart skipped a beat. She looked up at him, suddenly, and gave him a smile. "Hello." James managed, putting on his best smile. "I'm James Potter." _

"_Lily Evans." The girl replied. They shook hands. _

James was shaken out of the memory as the headmaster proclaimed the feast began. Shaking his head, he picked up a fork and began eating. His thoughts strayed to that memory again. Lily had been nice to him then, but that, he figured now, had been because hadn't shown her the bullying side of his personality. It was only after that first week had Lily started ignoring and insulting him. He sighed, he really had messed up in those first six years.

No one spoke to him throughout the whole meal allowing him to eat in peace and think about what is lessons would be like. He passed food to Sirius under the table. The black dog lay comfortably at his feet, ready to defend James if the need arose.

As the feast finished, Dumbledore stood up and did the welcome speech, most of which had remained the same since James' time at the school.

"First years ought to know that the Forest in the grounds is out-of-bounds to students - and a few of our older students ought to know by now, too."

James smirked remembering the first time he had entered the forest. He and Sirius had gone into the Forest to find out what Hagrid had been keeping in there. It had turned out to be a breed of half-horse, half-eagle. This creature had no name and Hagrid had been charged to destroy it by Dumbledore. As far as he knew, Hagrid had never done so. Wherever the creature was now, James was certain that it was still alive.

"Mr Filch, the caretaker, has asked me, for what he tells me is the four-hundred-and-sixty-second time, to remind you all that magic is not permitted in corridors between classes, nor are a number of other things, all of which can be checked on the extensive list now fastened to Mr Filch's office door."

James struggled to prevent a snigger from escaping. Half of those objects on the list had been banned because of him. He wondered if Dumbledore remembered that.

"We have had two changes in staffing this year. We are very pleased to welcome Professor James Potter, who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures lessons."

James stood up, nodding at the students. A few students clapped, while others were too shocked to. Their eyes ran from James to Harry, from Harry to James as if assessing the two. He sat back down, catching Harry's eye as he did so. He grinned, and Harry returned the favour.

"We are also delighted to introduce Professor Umbridge, our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher."

A few clapped but most were still staring at James, as if they were daring him to disappear. James sighed. It would take the students a while to get used to him being alive. After all, they might even be intimidated by a dead man coming back to life.

Dumbledore began to speak again only to be interrupted by Professor Umbridge's '_hem, hem'_. Eyes turned towards her. No one had ever dared to speak over Dumbledore. It was just not right, but then if Umbridge was a Ministry representative then she would be allowed to do so. Fudge would ensure that he had some control over the running of the school.

James cast a glance around the hall, seeing the many shocked expressions worn on the faces of the students. Then Professor Umbridge began to speak, preventing James from assessing the students. What she said surprised him, but more importantly angered him.

"Thank you, Headmaster, for those kind words of welcome." She 'hemmed' again. "Well, it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say! And to see such happy little faces looking up at me!"

James felt Sirius' paws dig into his boot. He knew exactly was his friend was thinking. Who would be happy to know that someone with a high-pitched, breathy and girlish voice would be teaching them? He noted that no student looked happy, in fact the only one who seemed to be paying attention was Hermione. But then, if she was like Lily, then she would be adamant that to listen to whatever teacher said, even if they were a Ministry official.

"I am very much looking forward to getting to know you all and I'm sure we'll be very good friends!"

James stifled a laugh. She wanted to make an impression but was failing. Obviously Fudge wanted her to prove to the students and the staff that Dumbledore was wrong. He had a feeling that Umbridge would even try to find out if he was truly loyal to Dumbledore or if he was just doing it because his son was. He had no doubt that Umbridge would have a lot of satisfaction if she managed to convince James Potter that the Dark Lord was just a figment of his son's befuddled brain.

While he had been thinking about that, Umbridge had continued her mountainous speech, and by the time James had looked at the students again, he found that they were bored. On the Ravenclaw table he noticed a very pretty girl chatting with her friends; another reading a magazine; the Hufflepuff table was similar, while Fred and George Weasley, at the Gryffindor table, were chattering excitedly together and trading looks at Umbridge, James had the sneaky suspicion they were planning something.

The speech ended and Dumbledore clapped loudly. James clapped once and rested his hands at the table. The end of her talk had left him speechless. By analysing her words carefully one could tell that the Ministry was interfering at Hogwarts. He hated the fact that the Minister did not trust Dumbledore anymore. He also disliked the fact that he had sent this hound - hag - to teach his son during his O.W.L year and if she hated Harry (because he was supposed to be a lying, muddled, attention-seeking boy) then his son would find it hard to pass any of his O.W.L exams. Hopefully, Harry would behave and not get into trouble. James grimaced. If he was a student faced with Umbridge as a teacher, he would just not turn up.

The hall was suddenly filled with the squabbling of feet rushing to get to their dormitories. Over the crowd he saw Harry walk away without Ron and Hermione. His friends were busy herding the new students out of the hall.

Looking down at Sirius, he said: "Come on, let's go to our room."

Taking the teacher's entrance out, James headed into the corridors. He did not notice Professor Umbridge watching him, nor did he see her eyes flick to the black dog beside him and grin nastily.

* * *

"How is it that you get a luxury bed and anything you want, and I get a dog basket?" Sirius asked as he looked around the room he and James shared. 

James shrugged, struggling to hold back a laugh. "Not many people know you are an Animagus. I suppose who ever might come in here will expect to see a dog basket? Besides what if that Umbridge woman comes here looking for ways to find that I am insane? Won't she find it strange that there is no facilities for a dog in this room?"

Sirius sighed. "I hate this."

Signing, James sat next to his friend who had perched himself on the edge of his bed. "Hey, at least you're out of your mother's house and able to spend time with me and Harry."

"I suppose there is a good reason for it." Sirius said. "All right, I'll stick to it, but if I'm discovered I'm blaming you."

James laughed. "Oh come now, Padfoot, who's going to find out about you? You're not going to suddenly transform back into a man when we're in lessons and scare my students away."

Sirius' eyes twinkled. "I might have done."

James rolled his eyes. "I think I should stop giving you ideas. I need rest. I've got to prepare for my lessons tomorrow."

* * *

There was a knock at his quarters door the following morning. James had been laying in bed. He had no lessons until the afternoon, and it would be with the third years. He would be teaching Harry the next day. James sat up when the knock came. He turned his gaze to Sirius who had been writing a letter and both of their eyes widened in shock. Who would be visiting them? 

"Quick! Transform!" James hissed. Sirius did so, letting out a bark as he did so. Scrambling out of bed, James rushed to the door. He wore only a pair of light trousers. He leaned against the door and asked: "Who is it?"

"Harry."

James sighed. He unlocked his door and let Harry step into his quarters. Behind him came another boy who James hadn't met.

"Hey, kiddo." He grinned.

"Dad," Harry said, stepping inside, "I want you to meet Neville Longbottom."

James gasped. "Frank Longbottom's son?" He had seen Neville as a baby as he and Frank had worked together in the Aurors.

Neville nodded, a little frightened of James. "Yes Professor."

"I remember your parents well, I was good friends with them."

"You were?" Neville's face brightened.

"Is Frank still an Auror? And Alice?"

Neville bowed his head and mumbled something. James didn't catch it.

Suddenly, Sirius in his Animagus form bounded up to them, barking and placing his paws on Neville's chest.

"Snuffles!" James shouted, trying to pull the black dog away. "I was talking!"

"Can he understand you?" Neville asked.

Harry sniggered. He could guess why Sirius had interrupted the conversation. Obviously James had no clue about the Longbottom's incapacity, and Harry wasn't supposed to know either. Neville was afraid of what people would think of him if they discovered what had happened, and so since accidentally finding out in Dumbledore's Pensieve, Harry had remained quiet.

James fumbled for an answer. "I've trained him to understand me. I only got him a few weeks ago though so he finds it hard to understand instructions." He cast a dirty look in Sirius direction, who in return thumped his tail on the ground.

"We've got to go, dad. Lessons are starting." Harry said, "I only came to see you…Neville wanted to see if we look alike which is why I brought him along."

James nodded. "I'll see you later. Let me know how your lessons go."

He watched them walk down the hall and then he shut his door and magically sealed it. He turned his hazel eyes onto Sirius who had transformed back into a man and was raising his hands in surrender.

"Look, I have a good reason to do what I just did."

"I asked him about Frank! What's wrong with that?"

Sirius folded his arms. "Because, James, Frank and Alice Longbottom are permanently insane. They were tortured into insanity by the Lestranges before they were sentenced to Azkaban. It happened a few weeks after you died. I don't think Neville wanted to say, so I intervened."

James' anger evaporated. "Frank and Alice? That shouldn't have happened…I just didn't think. I didn't realise…" he ran a hand over his face. "I'm sorry, Padfoot. I jumped to the wrong conclusions, again."

Sirius shook his head, laughing. "I didn't expect you to know. Anyway, get dressed and we can go and have breakfast. I'm starving!"

**TBC**

**James can really jump to conclusions can't he? **

**Thank you's go to the following: **cms; Eric2; Smorefan; Loonie Potter; PrincessSkywalkerOrgana; IamSiriusgrl; HandsOff; amrawo; sirius-black-sfan;Barbossa'sApples; jamesismine; Crazy-Physco; Lunatic Pandora1; ambereyes2873; Siriusly Sirius Lily Black; zippyfox; dweem-angel; Inumara12; squiddie; Dadaiiro;

**darkdanny: **I don't know anyone who could help you with beta-reading or co-authoring your stories, however I suggest that you search on google for other Harry Potter fanfiction sites and possibly ask about beta-readers and co-authors there. I'm sure someone would be willing to help you. I'd volunteer myself, but I'm busy writing my own stories and trying to find a job and complete school at the same time.

**magicgirl45852: **Draco will appear in the next chapter and James will have a hard time controlling him. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

**empathicallychosen: **I'll try not to turn Harry into an idiot jerk.

**littlewolf-moony: **You'll have to see if James is sent back when Hagrid returns. I can't say as it will ruin the plot.

**HarrysGrrl: **The question "Have you ever considered having James in the sixth book?" intrigued me. So here's your answer: at the moment I am planning on continuing this story until the end of the seventh book, (yes, that'll make the story about 100 chapters?) however it will depend on what happens in the next two books of the series. The problem that I'm facing is at the moment, (due to demand by other reviewers and by me) I have planned out a different end to the 'Order of the Phoenix' then the one that is the in the book, so it might not work out or fit into the HBP story line. I am hoping to stick with the main plot of the books in some form but whether I continue the story into Harry's Sixth year, will depend on what happens in it. As I'm a quick reader I should be able to read the 'Half-blood Prince' within four days and be able to analyse how I can fit this story into the sixth book, otherwise I'll just have to make up my own sixth year plot. Thank you for your review!

**Padfoot's Sidekick: **As James is a professor and Sirius is forced to remain as a dog then it might be a bit difficult for them to pull pranks, but I'll see what I can do.

**Elizabeth Annette: **Will Sirius die? Unfortunately I can't reveal that at the moment. Sorry.

**luna-rocker: **You've read all 11 chapters? Thank you for reviewing and telling me your thoughts!

**angelicmayuka: **Will Harry have romance? I might touch on it a bit but I'm not sure. Would James really want to handle his son's love problems when he's still suffering from losing Lily? Heh, heh, Umbridge will definitely be a pain for James. Wait and see!

**LiLaZnGrLy: **Wormtail plays a semi-important role at the end of the Book 5 part of this story (I am changing the ending slightly). I am hoping to keep this story going on until the end of Book 7. I'll be able to incorporate Book 6 shortly, with it being released, and I should be able to keep writing until I've finished that part of the story. I do plan to continue to the end of Harry's seventh year. Don't feel sad that you don't understand e-mail language: I don't either and I'm 17! Your question about people thinking James is a nutter: but the Minister knows that its James even if he doesn't want to believe it, he can't prove that James isn't James so students would respect him since Fudge has not said anything bad about James, yet. You'll have to see if James keeps his teaching post when Hagrid returns. I haven't really taken out the rivalry between James and Snape but for the sake of the school they are putting their differences aside. There will be some sort of rivalry but not much as they are grown ups now and should be above things like that. James can't tell Harry the prophecy for several reasons but I can't say as it is relevant later on in the story. Just out of curiosity do you live in/near London (UK) because I live not that far from London somewhere in Kent? Thank you for the really long review! It was nice to get such a positive response from you. I hope you liked this chapter!

**Lady Taliesin: **You are not a snazzy little blue alien like Stitch. I picture you like my one of my friends (who is obsessed with hp) and has blond hair, startling blue eyes and is rather excitable when it comes to anything to do with hp (even if you don't have features like that, that is who you remind me of, for some reason). I really hope that didn't insult you, describing you like my friend. Yes, I do love ranting, and when I start I usually can't stop unless my brother gags me with a cloth, which is rare as he's never at home anymore. Okay, the issue with Wormtail seems to bother you. I don't like him, but he's an okay character to read about as he's intriguing. Why did he betray the Potters? Could it have been because of his childhood? I won't judge him properly until the end of the series. You never know you might like Peter at the end of this story….because of what he does….let's just say it involves a really angry James and…(can't say anymore or I'll ruin the plot!) Right, onto your proper review now: (Do I ever get the urge to play Minesweeper? You bet I do! What's your lowest score? I did beginner in 6 seconds; 35 seconds for intermediate and 108 seconds for Expert.) Glad you liked the Prongslet name! I just wanted to use it and it seemed an appropriate time. Another random bit of INSANESS! Don't worry, I don't mind reading that. Your reviews always make me laugh in some way, so don't stop unless you run out of ideas. Never use the homework argument…hm that is a bit hard for me to use as I don't get homework any more as I have tons of free periods at school and I do all the work then :-) but then I don't get homework as I am doing my A-level courses. Yes, I hate Snivellus. Come to the point, the same girl who I described you as, has this thing for Snivellus to. She calls herself 'Narcissa Malfoy' and goes around saying that Draco is her son, Lucius is her first husband, Voldemort is her second husband and Snape is her boyfriend! She's honestly mental and it drives me crazy. She likes all the bad guys in HP but I prefer the good guys like (Harry…Sirius…Remus…James) Another error! DOH! And this writing is coming from someone who got a high B in her GCSE exams last summer! How can I not know that Wisdom is not an adjective? I'm such a dweedle-pot sometimes. DOH! Thanks for pointing out another of my silly mistakes! You'll have to wait and see what happens to James when Hagrid comes back, won't you? Oh, I am so evil…Well that's it for the long review!

**Next chapter is entitled (rather ironically) 'Prongs Rides Again' **in which Umbridge concocts an evil scheme….and Remus comes to Hogwarts for the full moon…**available to read this weekend!**

**Thanks to all, **

**MissBlackPotter**


	13. Prongs Rides Again

**Thank you for all the support so far! I can't believe we've got to Chapter 13 already! Okay, so here's the chapter, which is aptly named after the story…**

**Oh, and one more thing: I said to a few people that Draco would be in this chapter…unfortunately he isn't. Sorry, for those who have been waiting for James and Draco to meet. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen: Prongs Rides Again**

He was sitting in his office when she came along. The small dumpy witch sat herself calmly (uninvited) into the chair opposite Dumbledore. She smiled sweetly at him before beginning her speech.

"_Hem, hem," _Umbridge started, "I have reason to believe that you are harbouring a suspected Death Eater in this castle. One who probably believes that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has returned."

Dumbledore clasped his hands together and looked at her over the top of his half-moon glasses. "And who might that be? The only person who I am aware of that was once a Death Eater was Severus Snape and he has proved his loyalty beyond the doubt. I do not think you have to be worried about him."

"Oh no, it's not him," she smiled sweetly, "I'm talking about James Potter. Of course it is impossible for someone to die and then return, so it is official that James Potter must be a traitor. You must know that he is lying to you about who he is, after all he did put a memory charm on the Minister."

"I don't think he did, since I was there. He didn't have a wand then." Dumbledore explained. "I'm sure James will be willing to submit to Veritaserum if you asked it of him."

"He's already proved to be…immune to it. I think a better course should be taken, if only you will authorise it."

"And what is this action that you speak of?" Dumbledore asked.

"A potion. A specific one that allows people to see the memories of an individual who drinks it. If James Potter drinks this potion then I will be able to prove that he is NOT who he claims to be. I - I mean we - can view his memories, showing the school who he truly is."

The headmaster raised his eyebrows. That potion was illegal. Did she know that? But it could be used to ascertain the truth, and she would be bound to get permission from Fudge. He sighed. He may as well clear it, but he would have to warn James. He didn't know when she planned to do this, but he would have to make sure James was ready to have everyone see his past. He knew she would want to reveal James in front of everyone.

"I see I have no choice in this matter as I'm positive you will get Cornelius to pass this motion."

She smiled sweetly.

"Very well, you have my permission to perform this potion on James."

"Thank you. headmaster." She turned to leave, the sickly smile still decorating her features.

* * *

"You wanted to see me, Headmaster?" James asked as he seated himself in the chair Umbridge had vacated an hour before. 

"Yes. Professor Umbridge has expressed her concerns about you being a Death Eater. She came to me to seek permission to use an illegal potion on you. I said yes so that she doesn't get Fudge involved. No doubt he supports the usage of this potion."

"What does it do?" James asked wearily.

"It enables people around you to see your memories. Ten memories in total. You can control what people see. I hope you are willing to go through with this as it will establish who you are."

James nodded. "I would let her do it."

"I get the feeling she will attempt it during dinner. Be wary. I don't know when, but Severus still needs to create the potion before it can be administered. It will take at least a week for it to brew, so sometime next week she will attempt to catch you out."

"Right. I think I can do that. If it helps people be convinced that I am who I say I am then I'm willing to go through with it." _Besides it will give her quite a shock if I showed her the night I died and returned. That might just change her mind_, he thought.

Dumbledore nodded. "It would be up to you what you show them." he looked at his watch, "but look at the time, you've got classes to attend to."

James stood up. "Thanks for the warning, Professor."

"It's no problem James."

* * *

He spent the morning drawing up a lesson plan for his third year class that afternoon. Sirius spent the morning watching the First year flying lessons from the window of James' study. Luckily no one could see him so it was perfectly safe for him to be looking out. 

Drawing up lesson plans was harder then James thought. It required immense detail and exactly what he would have to include. He also had to come up with an adequate homework assignment. Tomorrow he would teach Harry's class, but James had no clue what he could educate them about. Though he was looking forward to teaching the fifth years, he was not looking forward to meeting Lucius Malfoy's son. If he was anything like Lucius then James would worry. Of course, every Malfoy was the same. Draco would be no different.

The morning passed quickly and by the time the bell rang for the end of lessons, James had finished his lesson plans for the coming week. He had made them detailed, and hopefully, entertaining. He had no idea how his teaching methods would be but he hoped he could be an adequate teacher for the students. He was most looking forward to teaching the fifth years, but that was only because Harry was in that class and it would give him a chance to show his son how good he could teach.

There came a knock at his office door. "Who is it?" he called.

"Fred and George." The answer came.

James grimaced. Since returning he had only had the chance to get to know Harry. He had hardly got the chance to see them as he had spent most of the time with Harry and Sirius and Remus. "Come in!"

The oak door opened and the two ginger-haired twin brothers of Ron slipped in. They closed the door and smiled at the two Marauders.

"What is it? I have to get to lesson shortly." James said.

Fred stepped forward. "We want to ask you something. Are you Prongs?"

James did a double-take. "What did you say?"

"Are you Prongs?" George asked again.

Casting a side-glance at Sirius, James swallowed. How did they know that? More importantly where did they hear the name? His silence was unnerving.

"You are Prongs otherwise you would've denied it." Fred replied, grinning.

"I see," James said, "Well, I am Prongs, but where did you learn that name?"

"We found the map in Filch's cabinet when we were in first year. We worked out how to use it and have been using it ever since. We gave it to Harry two years ago, but we've always wondered who Moony. Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs are." George began.

Fred finished, "We began to analyse the names and why these people might have used them."

"I am Prongs. I can't really say no, now, can I?" James smiled, admiring their work.

"And now we know who the rest are. It's quite obvious now."

"Sirius is Padfoot." George said. Sirius nodded.

"Because of his Animagus form. And Moony is…" Fred turned to George to finish.

"Professor Lupin because of his condition."

"Wormtail is Peter Pettigrew since he can transform into a rat." Fred informed them.

"And what about me?" James asked.

George scratched the back of his head. "If Padfoot and Wormtail are Animagus' then we guessed that you must be one."

"Yet we don't know what you could transform into."

James grinned and stood up from his desk. Walking in front of his desk, he took a deep breath and focused his will. He swallowed. He felt his limbs shaking inside as his body transformed into the brilliant white and brown stag. His antlers were tall and shiny. Bright hazel eyes stared out at the two Weasley twins as they took in James' form.

"A stag!"

"Of course!" Fred exclaimed, his eyes shining, "Prongs! Your antlers! We should've thought about that!"

James resumed his usual form, a childish grin on his face. "Now you know." He glanced at his watch. "I'd better go. First lessons are starting."

"Who you're teaching?" the twins asked simultaneously.

"Third years." James said.

The twins made towards the door. "Well we'd better go to class. Thanks for showing us your animagus form."

They left, and James turned to collect his books he needed. "Coming?" he asked Sirius.

"It might be fun." Sirius replied, transforming into the black dog.

James grinned. "I'm glad that you are here with me."

Sirius barked in reply.

* * *

Professor McGonagall stepped into James' office. He was sitting at a desk, flicking through 'Creature Magazines'. Sirius was sitting in a chair looking at the Daily Prophet, muttering every so often about the obscurity of it all. 

"Good evening James," she said, "How was your first day?"

"Hectic!" James grinned. "All they wanted to do was ask me questions. I answered them but by the time I had answered them all the lesson was nearly over. I hardly had a chance to teach them."

"You should've have said that if they listen to you then you would answer there questions." She stated.

James sighed. "I'm going to try that tomorrow with the fifth years. I get to teach Harry."

"Oh, and that reminds me, your son has got on the wrong side of Dolores Umbridge. She has given him a weeks detention for claiming that You-Know-Who has not returned and for being a nasty little liar. I cannot stop her from doing that," she added, noticing the colour of James' face.

"I'll talk to him." James said.

McGonagall nodded. "That would be best." She turned to leave but then swung round again. "The headmaster has asked me to pass this message onto you. Remus Lupin is coming to Hogwarts tonight for his transformation. He says he would like to go back to the old days, whatever that means."

James and Sirius swapped grins. McGonagall left.

"You know what that means, then?" Sirius asked, folding the Daily Prophet.

James nodded. "Yep, Remus wants to spend the Full Moon as the Marauders again."

Looking out the window the two friends saw the moon rising in distance. The rays of it were just beginning to hit the earth, and stars appeared high in the sky. James grimaced. They didn't have much time before Remus would transform. He wanted to speak to Harry but how could he with the moon rising quickly?

"Sirius, go on ahead and meet up with Remus. I just need to go to Gryffindor to speak to Harry."

Sirius shrugged, transformed into the black dog, opened the door and trotted out into the corridors, his tail wagging in the air. James surpassed a grin and went in the opposite direction.

He quickly weaved his way through the crowds of students until he finally came to Gryffindor Tower. The Fat Lady admitted him (without the password) as she had been informed of James' position as a Professor. Any adult who was a Professor had all access to the House Common Rooms. There identity's were imprinted into the painting, therefore enabling the portraits to admit him into the Common Rooms.

He stepped into the room and looked around, his eyes searching. He could not find Harry anywhere. He spotted Ron and Hermione sitting together on the plush chairs by the fire, scribbling away at their homework. He walked over to them and kneeled down.

Hermione looked up. "James!"

Chuckling, James answered, "No calling me that now. Professor Potter is how you shall address me by."

"What are you doing here?" Ron asked, putting down his quill.

"I want to speak to Harry. Is he still in detention?"

"Yeah. I doubt he'll be back by midnight." Hermione replied. "I'll tell him that you called."

"Thanks. I'd better get going. Things to do." James answered, standing up and then exited by the portrait hole.

_I'll have to speak to Harry during lessons tomorrow. For now, lets go and have some fun. _

Quickly James hurried through the corridors, trying to ignore the stares of the students. Wrapping his cloak round his body he stepped out into the grounds and quickly as possible made his way to the Whomping Willow. The tree was far enough from the castle so people would not be able to see James entering or leaving. Searching the ground he saw a thin branch, snapped on the dry grass. Picking it up he moved closer to the tree silently and pressed the knot. The tree froze and James easily slipped into the passage that led to the Shrieking Shack.

It was nearly seven-o-clock. Remus would be transforming. Sure enough, as he reached the entrance to the Shrieking Shack he heard growling and howls coming from upstairs. Slipping up the stairs James edged towards the door. Inside he heard the sounds of a werewolf and a dog.

He transformed into Prongs; the elegant stag pushed the door open with his antlers and stepped inside. James knew that Remus, whenever it was the Full Moon, could take a potion and just curl up, however for old times sake he had agreed to come to Hogwarts so that Moony, Padfoot and Prongs could be reunited once again. Now that he was older, Remus would be able to handle the transformation better.

Once inside the room the werewolf turned its attention to the stag, clearly not recognising it for what it was. Being alone for so long, the wolf would have no idea and James was poised, ready to defend himself if need be. He hadn't used his Animagus form properly for a long time and he sincerely hoped that he remembered how to return to human form.

There was a bark from behind him and the wolf's attention was snapped back to Sirius, who was growling and circling the wolf from behind. The wolf lunged at the black dog, using its sharp claws to strike it across the back. Howling, Sirius jumped back, and James, using his antler intervened to prevent the wolf from seriously harming the other. They had always done this beforehand. Once they had worn the wolf out it would be easy for the friends to keep him under control and lead him round the grounds.

Thirty minutes passed before James and Sirius were sure the werewolf would co-operate with them. Carefully, James bowed his head, pointing his antlers at the wolf and pushing him forward towards the door. Sirius padded out into the landing, turning his head to look at the wolf, and then led the way, pausing every now and again to ensure that Moony and Prongs were following.

The night passed quickly. The three Marauders explored the grounds returning to their old haunts: tbe lake, the forest and Hogsmeade. That night James felt truly alive. Not only had he been blessed with a second chance, but he had also been blessed with his memories intact and a chance to relieve points in his past. And this was one of them.

On September 2nd 1995, Prongs rode again.

**TBC**

**About Umbridge's plot: I know it is probably impossible to use a potion so that James is forced to show his memories to everyone around him, but please, give me some lee-way with it. The whole point of the potion is to help James after all, but you'll find out more when the potion is actually used in chapter 16. **

**Thank you's go to: **HandsOff; Barbossa'sApples; Slytherin Ariel; luna-rocker; Smorefan; amrawo; emuerz (I hope this chapter answered your questioned); zippyfox; Lunatic Pandora1; Olympics 2012 london; Crazy-Physco; IamSiriusgrl; Kim Kotchanski; Eric2; Shania Maxwell; Xylia Dark; shazia)Riavera; Sindauvial; PrincessSkywalkerOrgana; **and** Mayleesa.

**LiLaZnGrLy: **I wonder why I thought you lived in the UK? Oh well…but if you do visit the UK someday, I would suggest going to the following places: the Norfolk Broads (if you like river trips then that is a nice place to go for a day trip or for even a week holiday!); London has many sights (most of which I haven't seen yet) maybe check out the Lake District (near Scotland - I think) and the varying Centre Parks (Holiday Parks that we have here). These are just some of my favourite places and I think that anyone who comes to the UK (or lives here) should at least go to these places. Anyway…it's true I don't understand e-mail language though I'm very slowly getting the hang of it. About book 6, I am planning on continuing it as one story and not start another fanfiction unless it gets over 100 hundred chapters. Thank you for the review!

**sirius-black-sfan: **I'm not a supernatural writer (as you put it in your review) I just type really fast. I'm also writing ahead so the next two chapters are ready for posting already. I hope you liked this chapter!

**HarrysGrrl: **Unfortunately what's going to happen to Sirius in my story I can't say as I will be telling. The newsletter on the Yahoo Group goes to everyone who has joined. If you want to cancel your membership to the group then just go to the main 'front' page and click 'Leave Group' and you should stop receiving e-mails. I usually make the message up myself so it is not automatic. If you want I can put your settings as to receive no email if you still want to be a member and each time I put up a message that is important than I can reset the settings so you receive any information. Thank you for your review.

**floro13: **James is shocked over Neville's parents, but he's dealing with so many other issues it kind of went through him and he didn't take it in properly. Thank you for your review!

**magicgirl45852: **Harry does already know about Neville's parents - he was just keeping quiet. No the creature I was talking about wasn't Buckbeak. I don't think James would be silly enough to do anything as dangerous as that, especially if Malfoy is in the class. Thanks for the review!

**ambereyes2873: **James does know the whole prophecy but he won't tell Harry as he wants him to live his childhood while he can. Don't worry, I'll only touch on the romance Harry has in the book. I'm only really going focus on the Harry/James relationship. I hope you lied this chapter.

**Lady Taliesin: **Thank you for your long review! It was a joy reading it! Your story sounds really interesting! I can't understand why people think Snape and Draco are good people! I'm definitely not changing their characters unless the next two books say different. And unfortunately I can't tell you plot information unless you e-mail me privately and then we can talk about it, if you want to (that is!). Onto your review…I didn't know how Harry would react - he was a bit surprised, which is what I would've been if my dad had turned up at my school, but I wouldn't run up and hug him or anything - I'm still working on reactions for the characters. Yes, I didn't like the Sorting Hat song in the fifth book either, but I wanted James' reaction to it, but then I could've just written out the last paragraph and then had his thoughts on it. I just love the way you use the word PRONGSLET, I really think it fits Harry. Maybe he should turn into a miniature stag and then he would be a true Prongslet…heh. Oh don't worry about having no interest in guys, I'm the same and I'm 17. I should have a boyfriend but I'm just not interested – I think my education is far more important (and childhood) before you grow up. All the girls (young ladies) grew up when they were 12, so technically they had no childhood. I'm still living mine, but only till I'm 18 which I will be in January. Now that was an interesting question: what side would Snape pick out of James and Umbridge if they went head-to-head? Well…I think Snape would pick Umbridge's side so that he is not discovered as a Death Eater…what do you think? Padfoot gets a dog basket…I know a bit cruel but after all if someone walked into his quarters when he wasn't there and found two beds they would start to wonder…so a dog basket it is or your bed which you kindly offered him. I wonder if James will ever learn to keep his mouth shut…he probably won't. Yes, sorry about the no emotion thing again but I'm still working on that, but after all James is still awed by what he is living through. Okay…um…what else…oh yeah…no insaneness? They were so funny….but you don't have to do them if you are too tired or something. And I think that's it! Wait, I think I should apologise for not included Remus' physical form in this chapter. If James had got there earlier then there would've been a talk but unfortunately he was late – sorry! Remus will come back into the story soon – I'm focusing more on the relationship between Harry-James-Sirius. Thank you for the review!

**Next chapter: **Er…for the first time I can't remember what happens in the next chapter…oh that's it…James teaches Draco! But I can't remember the chapter title either. That's on my computer and not on the one I'm on now. Sorry!

**Thank you for reading! **

**MissBlackPotter**


	14. Passing Insults

**This chapter is dedicated to Xylia Dark for being my 400th reviewer! Thank you for all the support so far! **

* * *

**Prongs Rides Again**

**Chapter Fourteen: Passing Insults**

The following day James was tired from his adventures from the previous night. He had no lessons that morning so he was able to rest before going to teach. He wanted to be ripe when he taught Harry. Nevertheless he made himself sleep, catching up on what he had lost. At around half-twelve he woke to the sounds of birds singing. Groggily he sat up, rubbing a hand at the back of his head, making it tousled and sticking up. He yawned. He wanted to go back to sleep but his class was due to start in twenty minutes time.

Swinging his feet out of bed James quickly dressed, conjured up a bit of bread and cheese, gobbled it down, brushed his hair so that it lay a bit flat, and then taking a deep breath walked out of his rooms and into the corridor.

"Are you coming or not?" James asked, turning back to his friend.

The black dog gave a cheerful bark and followed the Professor out into the grounds, where the fifth-years were waiting.

A cool sun beat down upon them, the air chilly but no clouds were in sight. James tightened his robes against his body, uncontrollable nerves wreaking through his being. By Hagrid's Hut, the students waited. Amongst the fifteen year olds he spotted Harry with Ron and Hermione. Everything for his lesson was ready. Professor Dumbledore had taken the liberty of ensuring that James could catch up on his sleep and still be able to teach well. Everything he needed was set up.

As he reached the table, he found a heap of twigs in the centre of it. _Bowtruckles_. James thought. A nice easy creature to start the year off with. He placed the bag he carried by the table and looked around the class. _Gryffindor's and Slytherins. Great. _

He clapped his hands together. "Right, welcome to O.W.L year for Care of Magical Creatures. I am Professor Potter. In this class I will concentrate upon the different magical creatures that can be found. I will set homework once a week - which will mainly consist of theory notes or questions on how to deal with certain creatures. We've got a lot to cover this year so lets get the lesson started. Any questions?"

A few hands went up, James pointed out to Parvati. "Yes, Miss…"

"Parvati Patil." She said, "What was it like dying?"

James had expected this question at some point but no one in his other classes had asked that. He was about to answer when a memory invaded his mind.

"_AVADA KEDAVRA!" _

_Unable to avoid the curse, James stood his ground. As it hit him he felt fire racing through his body, his mind fleeing from his body and his consciousness faded into nothingness. He fell to the floor, traces of pain wracking through his battered body and then he was gone…_

_Voldemort's voice echoed as he faded… "Your pretty Mudblood wife is mine…" _

"Professor?" Parvati asked.

James shook his head, his heart beating fast. What could he say? He messed up his hair. "I can't really say," he mumbled, "It's hard to remember."

There was a general murmur of dissent among the group of students. James saw Draco Malfoy's Slytherin gang glaring at him as if daring him to do something. He dismissed them from his mind and decided to get on with the class. That was, after all, why he was there for.

"Can anyone tell me what these are?" he pointed to the sticks on the table.

Hermione leaped to attention throwing her hand into the air. Just as he was about to ask her what they were, James caught sight of Malfoy doing a buck-toothed imitation of Hermione by jumping up and down in eagerness, therefore causing Pansy Parkinson to laugh aloud. James scowled.

"Mr Malfoy!" he called. "I will not tolerate silliness in my class and that includes childish faces and insults. You are nearly an adult. It is time to start acting like one."

Draco Malfoy glared. He would not listen to a Potter. "You can't tell me what to do."

James crossed his arms. "You are the student Mr Malfoy, and I am the teacher. Authority is not governed by blood, as you seem to think it should be."

But Malfoy wouldn't back down. "My father is of higher standing then you'll ever be." He hissed under his breath. "Mudblood lover."

Unfortunately James heard that and anger rippled through him. "Fifty points of Slytherin. I'll be talking to Professor Snape about you language and attitude towards me, boy. Next time I'll refuse to have you in my class."

James turned away and then asked Hermione to explain what the sticks were. Malfoy made a face but remained quiet throughout the lesson.

"So, Miss Granger, can you tell me what these are?"

Hermione spoke with the conviction of knowledge. "Bowtruckle. They are tree-guardians and usually live in wand trees."

"Good. Five points to Gryffindor." James said. "Bowtruckles can be found in the west of England, southern Germany and in some Scandinavian forests. As they are so small they are difficult to spot and are made of bark and twigs with two small brown eyes. Can anyone tell me what they eat?"

Hermione's hand leapt into the air, but James skimmed the class and finally settled on Neville. "Mr Longbottom? Care to take a guess?"

"Uh…um…" Neville struggled. "…Insects?"

"Excellent! Take five points." James said, pleased. "But we will not concentrate on feeding them until we've studied them a bit more. I have collected enough Bowtruckles for one between three. By the end of the lesson I would like a sketch labelling all body parts. Hop to it!"

There was a general clatter of feet as students rushed to collect what they needed. Once everyone was settled, James walked round, looking at people's drawings and asking questions. He came to Harry's group. Sirius was sitting beside them. He had almost forgotten that his friend was there in his Animagus form. James grinned. "I hope he's not causing too much trouble."

Harry shook his head. "No, he's fine here." he reached out and scratched the back of the dog's ears.

"Good. Can I have a word with you for a minute, Harry."

"Sure." Harry got to his feet and followed James away from the class so that no one could hear their conversation. Harry looked apprehensively at James.

Biting his lip, James said: "I heard about your shouting match with Umbridge. She gave you detention?"

Harry nodded. "I suppose you're angry?"

James sighed, a small smile fidgeting at the side of his lips. "I'm not angry, just annoyed at the Ministry for labelling my son insane and a liar. I mean, they can't even see that you could be right! But, Harry, I know its frustrating for no one to believe you, but in time they will see it. Voldemort can't hide forever. He will show himself eventually. There's something I want you to promise me."

"What's that?" Harry asked.

"That you won't rise to Umbridge's taunts. She's trying to get you expelled. If that happens there will be no hope left for the Wizarding World."

Harry's brow creased. "I don't understand."

"You will someday," James promised, laying a comforting hand on his son's shoulder, "just promise me that you won't do anything that could get you expelled or put in detention."

Harry nodded. "I promise dad."

"Thanks." James ruffled his hair. "Go on, go and finish your work."

Harry walked off and joined Ron and Hermione. At least he had the chance to help his son through the school year. He only wished Voldemort and Pettigrew would reveal themselves. When that happened, the Minister would have to apologise to both Harry and Sirius for what he had subjected them to. James looked forward to that day.

* * *

With the day closing, James and Sirius packed up their lessons and went back to their room. Transforming back into a human, Sirius settled himself on the armchair. "So, how did you like teaching Harry?" 

"Fun, but I hate that Malfoy kid. He's so…full of himself."

Sirius grunted. "All the Slytherins are. They think they are better then anyone else because of their pure blood. Are you really going to talk to Snivellus?"

"Yes. I have to. If I don't report him he'll think he can get away with insulting Lily. I will not have him degrade her memory with that filthy word. It's time he learnt respect."

"I suppose so." Sirius muttered. "When are you going?"

"Now."

Sirius made a move to transform but James stopped him.

"No. You're not coming. I promised to keep you away from him." James remembered. "I'll go alone."

"Tell me how it goes then." Sirius said.

"What? No fight?" James laughed. "You have changed, mate."

Sirius just glared. He was not in the mood to argue with his best friend. Besides he had no desire to go and see Snivellus anyway. "Just go."

James shook his head and left his rooms, heading towards the dungeons at a quick pace. The dungeons looked exactly like he remembered. Dull and dreary, they suited Snape. Thankfully, Snape was in his office alone when James arrived.

"What do you want, Potter?" he asked, sneering.

James folded his hands across his chest. "I came to talk to you about the attitude of one of your students."

"Let me guess," Snape asked sarcastically, "Malfoy?"

James scowled. "Exactly."

"What did he do this time? Insult your son perhaps?"

"No. He called me a 'Mudblood lover' and I know you think the same as him. I fell in love with a Muggle-born and there is nothing wrong with that. Lily was the same as all of us. A witch and an extremely powerful one. She does not deserve to be remembered as that. I realise that as a Slytherin that is what Malfoy believes but I can't have him insulting my Lily like that. She deserves peace and quiet now. If there is anything you can do to make him respect me more then he does then I would be grateful. I have taken fifty points from Slytherin, possibly a bit too much but it was a spur of the moment decision."

Snape nodded. "I understand about Lily, James. I will talk to Malfoy but I can't see what I could say that would help him see the wrongs of labelling someone that. Nevertheless he is wrong to dishonour the dead."

"I appreciate this, Severus." James smiled warmly, possibly the first 'nice' smile he had ever given Snape. He was learning to respect him as an equal, rather then an enemy. He left the office, wondering if he could begin calling Snape a friend.

* * *

"I think this place needs a bit of fun!" Sirius announced as James walked into his rooms. Fred and George Weasley were sitting on the floor, pouring over the Marauders Map, (which they had asked if they could borrow from Harry) and were conspiring with Sirius. 

"Oh, god, what are you planning now?" James asked, apprehensively.

Sirius grinned. "It's not me, it's them." he pointed to the twins, who looked up. "I'm just giving them pointers."

James sighed. "You mean you're conspiring with them but you won't be caught because no one knows you're here."

"No, I would never put a fellow mischief-maker into a dangerous position where they could be caught!"

James raised his eyes, unbelieving. "Yeah, and what happened when you nearly got Snape killed?"

"That's different. Snivellus isn't a mischief-maker."

"But Remus is." James replied, steely.

Sirius frowned. "Fine. Nothing like that will happen again."

James nodded and turned the twins. "What are you planning?"

Fred glanced at the map and placed a finger where the Slytherin Common Room was. "Well, we were thinking of turning the hallway into a slide, but we don't know if we have the _talent _to do something like that."

James grinned. "I'm not helping. I'm responsible."

Sirius laughed out load. "I never thought I'd see the day when James Potter admitted he was responsible!"

Scowling James whacked Sirius on the backside of his head. "Hey!"

James grinned. "That's my final word. No Potter will help you get want you want. I'm not stopping you from aiding them in this cause, Sirius."

Sirius sighed. "Fine, so Prongs won't help. However I do have an idea that can help you pull this prank off…" he trailed off, looking expectantly at the twins.

James shook his head. "I think I'll leave you three alone to sort things out."

"Where are you going?" Sirius asked, slightly amused that James didn't want anything to do with mischief making.

"I need to look over my notes for the next class. I'll be on the third floor if you need me."

Taking up papers and books, James exited his rooms and headed through the castle, looking for some peace and quiet.

**TBC**

**James really needs to have some fun! Unfortunately he doesn't want to give Umbridge the excuse to expel Harry.**

**Thank you's to the following people: **Inumaru12; supernova8610; ambereyes2873; shannyauburn; PrincessSkywalkerOrgana; LunaticPandora1; zippyfox; Loonie Potter; Crazy-Physco; Barbossa'sApples; Eric2; darkdanny; FutureGoddess; HarryPotterknoitall; squiddie03; IamSiriusgrl; Werewolves Are People Too; HarrysGrrl (sorry no Remus); amrawo; empathicallychosen; emuerz; Shania Maxwell; Xylia Dark; Virginia Riddle-Malfoy **and **Padfoot's Sidekick.

**queen-of-monkey-magic: **Thank you for your awesome review. It brought a smile to my face. Thank you! The reason why James and Harry didn't tell the others about the wish is that if they knew Harry had had a wish that came true then others might start wishing for things and if they don't come true then people will feel that it is unfair for Harry to get what he wants and they do not. I will do try and keep to my deadlines however with Easter break coming up, updates will be rare as I am very busy. Thank you for the review!

**magicgirl45852: **You asked me about reading a story about slash. Well, I do not like slash, however it depends how graphic the writing is, however I would not flame it. I am willing to look over the quality of the writing and beta-read for you, if that is what you want. You can e-mail me using my e-mail address found in my bio and we'll discuss this further if you wish.

**luna-rocker: **On that night Remus didn't take the potion to turn himself into a harmless wolf. If he was a harmless wolf it would be no fun for James and Sirius in their animagus forms because Remus would not fight them so they could go exploring the grounds. That is why Remus didn't take the potion in the last chapter.

**angelicmayuka: **Don't worry about forgetting to review - I don't mind! You get to see the memories in chapter 16 (however due to foreseen circumstances you won't be able to read it until the middle of April - this will be explained next chapter). I know that James had already used his animagus form for the twins but he hadn't the chance to test himself in it properly (like running round the grounds) so he wasn't sure if he had complete control over the transformations. I hope you liked Draco and James. Thank you for the review!

**LiLaZnGrLy: **You get to go to China? Lucky! I've never been there! James will get to speak to Harry about his detentions - eventually. I do have a Yahoo Group for this story but nothing really happens on it. All I do is post messages about updates to the story and that's it. I do not have instant messenger however I can go online via another website I've found on the Internet. If you let me add you to my contacts list there is a chance that we can chat, however as I live in the UK it might be hard, however normal e-mails are perfectly acceptable. Plot Information: if you want some information then e-mail me and ask me what you would like to know. I do not want to write any information in a review, in case others read it and spoil it. Onto your 'actual' review: Thank you for pointing out my grammatical errors. It's a pain when that happens. About your other questions you asked me if you wish to know the answers then email me. Your scene with James and Draco was funny. I hope your shoulder is better, and I'll check out your story when I can!

**Lady Taliesin: **I really hate it when doesn't show the chapter. I hope you didn't have the same problem with this one! No, I didn't laugh about you not knowing how to use e-mail. I once didn't know how to either, so that's no big deal. Don't be ashamed. The offer for plot information through e-mail will still be there when you learn how to use e-mail. You CLOSED my fic! How could you? (I'm over-reacting I know, but that's what I do!) Yes, your story sounds interesting and when you get it up, I will read it! Draco was in this chapter. What did you think of him and his characterisation? I think every HP fan wants Umbridge to die, even me. Yes! Insaneness (sort of) but really interesting scenarios. My favourites was number 4 and 5 and 2. Dumbledore only agreed to allow the potions because of Umbridge's connections to the Minister of Magic. She is bound to get written permission anyway and also James decided that of he can cause Umbridge to be shocked then…well…you'll have to wait and see what exactly happens. There was a grammatical mistake in the Fred/George part and I'll correct it when I've finished writing the story (whenever that will be!) None of my parents are teachers but my mum works in a school as a secretary. However my best friends mum is a school teacher and she hates writing lesson plans so I based that on her. I have to agree with you: Padfoot and Prongs are cute. I love writing about them. They are after all my favourite characters…closely followed by Remus and Lily. Right about James' transformation. When he showed Fred and George he did not get the chance to properly move around and make sure that he could actually keep in his form for a long period. That full moon was his test to make sure he could remember and sustain the transformation. I hope that makes sense! Once again, thank you for a marvellous review and your wonderful input! I hope you liked this chapter!

**Next Chapter: **A Few Talks - in which James and Harry converse several times and Snape actually smiles! **You can read this chapter on Saturday!**

**See you all next time!**

**MissBlackPotter**


	15. A Few Talks

**Please read the BAD NEWS at the end of the review responses at the end of the chapter! Thank you! **

* * *

**Disclaimer:I do not own the dialogue between Harry and Ron, nor do I own the newspaper cutting or Percy's letter.**

**Prongs Rides Again**

**Chapter Fifteen: A Few Talks**

It was Thursday evening when James had the next chance to speak to his son. Though he was on patrol duty usually on a Tuesday, McGonagall had asked him to help Severus Snape patrol the castle on a Thursday night. James had no qualms with this. No matter how much he hated Severus, he had to learn to work with him, and doing this would be one step towards achieving that goal. Severus had kept well away from James since the start of the year, but no insults had, thankfully, come from Snape's mouth. It pleased James that he could work in this atmosphere.

Though it was only four days since he had returned to Hogwarts, James already found himself to be a mixture of wonder and fear for the students. The Gryffindors were pleasant towards him while the Slytherins chuckled and ignored him whenever they could - especially the fifth, sixth and seventh years. The students below those years in Slytherin House were far more pleasant. The Hufflepuff's were kind to him, and did not mention anything about death to him, whilst the Ravenclaw's took the opportunity to question him at every turn.

He didn't mind the curiosity: it just got frustrating, especially when different students asked the same questions over and over. At least, in some way, it kept his mind off of Lily.

James strolled down the corridor, hands in the pockets of his robes. He wished Sirius could be patrolling with him, yet, his friend had not been allowed tonight, mainly because Umbridge was on the prowl. He had a nasty feeling that the witch had an idea who the dog might be and didn't want to endanger his friend anymore then he already did. As long as he was locked up in his quarters, Sirius would be safe from Umbridge's prowling.

"Harry, what's that on the back of your hand?"

James stopped and listened. Two very careless people were talking in the corridors, after hours.

Then came Harry's stuttering voice, and James grinned. He would have to tell of his own son!

"It's just a cut - it's nothing - it's -"

James stepped into their line of vision. "It's what Harry?" his eyes full of concern, noticing the other boy - Ron - holding Harry's outstretched hand and was examining it. James was about to ask why Ron was looking at Harry's arm, when his hazel eyes caught the words _I must not tell lies _etched into his son's hand. Little, dried droplets of blood accompanied the scar, but James knew who had done that: there was no doubt in his mind.

_Umbridge. _

He grasped Harry's hand from Ron and examined it himself, his eyes growing rounder and angrier as he took in the injury that one of his colleagues had placed on his son. Carefully he ran a finger over the cut, gently, hoping that it wouldn't hurt Harry, but his son jerked as if a thousand needles had pressed against his skin. James quickly moved his hand away, fearful of causing more pain if he continued with the massage.

"Tell me," James whispered, "what has she been doing to you in detention?"

Harry hesitated before replying. What would his father do? Swallowing his pride, Harry told James the truth. "I've been writing lines…but each time I write the words 'I must not tell lies', they carve into my skin, but it heals up straight away…" Harry bit his lip, "but continued use of it, obviously causes more harm then good."

James scowled. "How could she….that evil bitch! If only I could get my hands on her…."

Harry touched his father's arm. "Don't dad. Please. I know what she's done is bad but if you hurt her then you'll be sent away. I won't be able to see you again, not for a long time, and it's quite nice to come and talk to you about my problems."

His anger was abating. Who would've thought that Harry would be able to do that? Not many people had the ability to cool James down once he was in a temper. Only Sirius, Remus and Lily had ever mastered that.

He smiled lightly. "All right, Harry, I won't complain, but if she does anything like that to you again, I will be having words with her. What she does is illegal. She shouldn't be able to get away with it!"

"I'll be fine." Harry countered.

"Go off to bed before someone else catches you." James said, "I'll let you off this time."

Harry grinned and jogged off with Ron.

Instead of heading back to his quarters, James decided to speak to the headmaster. Dumbledore had to be aware what Umbridge was doing. He may not be able to anything, but knowing should be enough. It would at least satisfy James' need for vengeance. _Maybe the Weasley twins would come in handy._

He finally reached Dumbledore's office. He said the password "Orange drops" and stepped onto the steps as they began to move upwards, until they stopped and he was facing the headmaster's door. He knocked politely and waited.

"Come in." the headmaster called.

James stepped into the office. "Headmaster."

"James." Dumbledore acknowledged. "Please sit down."

He sat, his eyes boring into the elder wizards.

"What is it, James?"

He sighed. "I just spoke to Harry. He was heading back to Gryffindor Tower after detention with Umbridge. I saw what she was doing to him."

"And what was that?" the headmaster asked, clearly baffled. "I was under the impression she makes students write lines."

"Ha!" James laughed out loud, his anger clearly evident. "That's what she does do, but when they write the words on paper, the words are also etched into the back of his hand! That's illegal! She shouldn't be able to do that!"

Dumbledore sighed. "I wish I could do something about it, but if I do, Dolores Umbridge will complain to Fudge, and it's possible he could get me arrested. I'm truly sorry, James, that I can't be of more use."

"It's all right. It's just…I thought you'd be able to do something."

"I need to remain here. Dolores Umbridge and Cornelius Fudge are looking for ways to show the world what a crackpot old fool I am. I am not about to fall into their trap."

James nodded. "Thanks, anyway, Professor."

"You have a chance to look out for Harry more then I do. Look after him from afar. Neither Umbridge or Cornelius can arrest you for looking out for your son." Dumbledore explained, clasping his hands together.

James stood, nodded once and stepped out of the office, heading back to his quarters. He was still angry but with the Ministry being run by an incompetent fool, it would be stupid of him to challenge it, especially as he didn't know who would be on his side and on the Minister's.

Sighing, he forced all thoughts from his mind. He would help Harry in any ways he could, but he would have to be careful not to cross the path of Umbridge.

Reaching his rooms, James noticed that Sirius was sleeping in his dog basket, and quietly he crossed the rooms and fell onto his bed, falling instantly asleep.

* * *

"This week has been challenging." James sighed as he sat down. "Now I can relax." 

Sirius laughed. "Come on, Prongs! You've only been teaching for a week!"

"I've never done anything like this before." James answered. He had not told Sirius about Harry's hand, wanting to keep it quiet.

"What's been challenging this week that has you in a mood?" Sirius asked.

James shook his head. "Nothing that you should know."

"If it's about Harry, I should know. I am after all his Godfather." Sirius answered.

"Just because you are his Godfather doesn't mean I should tell you everything about him."

"You used to."

James laughed. "I might've done when he was a baby, but not anymore. If Harry doesn't want other people to know other then me, I will honour that. Don't hold it against me Padfoot, but as his father, I should judge what you know about him."

"Fine." Sirius scowled. He hated it when James kept secrets from him. In fact, it was frustrating.

"So what are you doing today, Padfoot?" James asked, grinning, brushing a hand through his hair.

"Well, it's Saturday. I was thinking of taking a trip to Hogsmeade." Sirius answered. "I've been cooped up in this room most of the time. I think I need to get out."

"I suppose I should take you for a walk." James murmured. "After all you'll become unhealthy if you don't exercise."

"Shut up, Prongs. I don't need you to baby-sit me."

Cheekily James added: "I would have to come with you as Umbridge will be looking for a way to trap me. If she sees you wondering off on your own then she'll suspect something. I've got to at least escort you to Hogsmeade to make it look like you are my pet."

"I really hate it when you're in this good mood." Sirius finished.

* * *

Harry came to visit him that afternoon. In the middle of marking papers, James was at first annoyed, but then pleased to discover that it was his son who was disturbing him. James had taken Sirius for a walk that morning and now his friend was sitting in the armchair reading the Daily Prophet, which James had bought in Hogsmeade. 

"What's up Harry?" James questioned, seeing his son's face.

"I'm wondering…is Professor Umbridge a Death Eater?"

James' eyebrows rose. "What made you think that?"

Harry shrugged.

"Tell me, or I can't help you."

"When I was in detention last night, my scar hurt when she touched me, looking at my hand. I thought maybe if she worked for Voldemort."

James grimaced. "She's not a Death Eater. Dumbledore would know and she'd probably be far more ruthless in her teaching and detentions if she was a Death Eater. Sorry, Harry."

His son nodded, obviously hoping that he was right about the Defence professor. "Thanks, dad. I'd better get back to my homework."

"See you later." James said, waving good-bye.

"Bye Snuffles." Harry grinned, exiting the room.

Sirius nodded. Once his godson had gone, Sirius turned to James and fixed him with a steely stare. "Tell me, Prongs, what that Umbridge woman has done to Harry."

James sighed. Sirius wouldn't let it go. "Just promise me you won't go mad and curse people."

"Fine, I promise."

James told his friend about Umbridge's detentions. At the end, Sirius wore a dark look, however he said: "She'll get her come uppence eventually, and I'm hoping I'll be there to see it."

James just laughed aloud. "You would think that, wouldn't you?"

"Are you really that…Bloody hell!" Sirius said, his eyes widening as he read an article in the Daily Prophet.

"What?" James asked, crossing the room to pear over his friend's shoulder.

"Read this:

**BLACK SIGHTED! **

"**The Ministry of Magic has received a top-off from a reliable source that Sirius Black, notorious mass murder who escaped from Azkaban two years ago and has been on the run ever since, has been sighted near Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." **

James narrowed his eyes. "How can they know you're here?"

"No one's seen me."

"Except in Animagus form," James replied and then his mind clicked. "MALFOY!"

Sirius looked at him quizzically. "Malfoy?"

James nodded. "Definitely. He must know that you are an Animagus."

"I doubt he would know. He's just a kid!"

"I'm talking about his father. Lucius Malfoy," James said, "he's a Death Eater. Wormtail is a Death Eater. He's most likely told Voldemort that you are an Animagus, which means that Draco Malfoy might know."

Sirius growled under his breath, displeasure evident by his tone. "That little rat." He ran a hand over his face. "Do you think I should leave?"

James shook his head. "No. If you left then Umbridge or some Slytherins might guess who you are and then I'll get in trouble. Just try and act like a normal dog, and hopefully this will pass."

Sirius sighed. "I hope so. I don't want Dumbledore sending me back to Grimmauld Place."

"He won't if we're careful." James answered, tapping his friend on the shoulder.

"Let's just forget about this for now. I don't want to think about going back."

James sat back down at his desk, picking up a quill and shuffled his papers looking for something to do. Sirius continued reading the Daily Prophet.

* * *

The following day was a Sunday. James had marked all of the work he had received from his students. That morning Harry came to his rooms again, his face grim. Something was troubling him. Sirius had been sleeping when his Godson had arrived but he had quickly transformed back into his human form. 

"What's bothering you, Harry?" James asked.

"This letter." Harry held a piece of parchment written in tiny, minuscule handwriting. "It's from Percy, Ron's older brother who works at the Ministry with Fudge. He's sort of become an outcast of the Weasleys because he doesn't believe that Voldemort is back. He sent this last night, but I want you to read it. Ron was outraged that Percy would dare writing to him."

"And he agreed I could read it?" James questioned, giving Harry a curious look.

Harry nodded. "Yeah. It was Ron's idea."

Reaching out, the elder Potter took the parchment and read it through, his hazel eyes blazed as he read what was written on the parchment:

_Dear Ron, _

_I have only just heard (from no less a person than the Minister for Magic himself, who has it from your new teacher, Professor Umbridge) that you have become a Hogwarts prefect. _

_I was most pleasantly surprised when I heard this news and must firstly offer my congratulations. I must admit that I have always been afraid that you would take what we might call the 'Fred and George' route _-

Here James burst out laughing. "Does the Fred and George route mean playing Pranks all the time? and causing general havoc?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah. Ron was offended by that as well.

James continued to read the letter:

_- rather then following in my footsteps, so you can imagine my feelings on hearing you have stopped flouting authority and have decided to shoulder some real responsibility. _

_But I want to give you more than congratulations, Ron, I want to give you some advice, which is why I am sending this at night rather than by the usual morning post. Hopefully, you will be able to read this away from prying eyes and awkward questions. _

_From something the Minister let slip when telling me you are now a prefect, I gather that you are still seeing a lot of Harry Potter. I must tell you, Ron, that nothing could put you in danger of losing your badge more than continued fraternisation with that boy. Yes, I am sure you are surprised to hear this - no doubt you will say that Potter has always been Dumbledore's favourite - but I feel bound to tell you that Dumbledore may not be in charge at Hogwarts much longer and the people who count have a very different - and probably more accurate - view of Potter's behaviour. I shall say no more here, but if you look at the Daily Prophet tomorrow you will get a good idea of the way the wind is blowing - and see if you can spot yours truly! _

_Seriously, Ron, you do want to be tarred with the same brush as Potter, it could be very damaging to your future prospects, and I am talking about life after school, too. As you must be aware, given that our father escorted him to court, Potter had a disciplinary hearing this summer in front of the whole Wizengamot and he did not come out of it looking too good. He got off on a mere technicality, - _

"There was no PROOF that Harry had done anything wrong!" James exclaimed.

_- if you ask me _(which I don't want to, James thought)_, and many of the people I've spoke to remain convinced of his guilt. _

_It may be that you are afraid to sever ties with Potter - I know that he can be unbalanced and, for all I know, violent - but if you have any worries about this, or have spotted anything else in Potter's behaviour that is troubling you, I urge you to speak to Dolores Umbridge, a truly delightful woman _(James laughed aloud, hardly daring to believe that Umbridge was anything but delightful) _who I know will be only too happy to advise you. _

_This leads me to my other bit of advice. As I have hinted above, Dumbledore's regime at Hogwarts may soon be over. Your loyalty, Ron, should be not to him, but to the school and the Ministry. I am very sorry to hear that, so far, Professor Umbridge is encountering very litter co-operation from staff as she strives to make those necessary changes within Hogwarts that the Ministry so ardently desires (although she should find this easier from next week - again, see the Daily Prophet tomorrow!). I shall say only this - a student who shows himself willing to help Professor Umbridge now may be very well-placed for Head Boyship in a couple of years! _

_I am sorry that I was unable to see more of you over the summer. It pains me to criticise our parents, but I am afraid I can longer live under their roof while they remain mixed up with the dangerous crowd around Dumbledore. (If you are writing to Mother at any point, you might tell her that a certain Sturgis Podmore, who is a great friend of Dumbledore's, has recently been sent to Azkaban for trespass at the Ministry. Perhaps that will open their eyes to the kind of petty criminals with whom they are currently rubbing shoulders.) I count myself very lucky to have escaped the stigma of association with such people - the Minister really could not be more gracious to me - and I do hope, Ron, that you will not allow family ties to blind you to the misguided nature of our parents' beliefs and actions, either. I sincerely hope that, in time, they will realise how mistaken they were and I shall, of course, be ready to accept a full apology _(I don think that day would ever come, James thought) _when that day comes. _

_Please think over what I have said most carefully, particularly the bit about Harry Potter, and congratulations again on becoming a prefect. _

_Your brother, _

_Percy _

James handed the letter back to Harry, anger evident in his eyes. To insult Harry, was to insult his parents. Percy had not realised it, but by writing to Ron about Harry, he was insulting Lily by admitting that Harry was a liar. James had rarely lied in his life only when he absolutely had to hide things from others, and Lily, well, James had never heard of her lying either. If Harry had ever lied he had not got that trait from his father or mother.

"I just can't believe it," James muttered.

"What's it say?" Sirius asked, amused by his friend's facial expression.

Harry handed him the letter. Sirius read it through quickly and once he had done so he glanced at James and nodded his agreement to James' unvoiced thoughts.

James put his head in his hands, scrunching up his messy fringe with his fingers. "I can't see how people can believe that Harry could be a nutcase. Those who knew us would know that. Implying that you are like that, son, is saying that Lily and I was liars and insane people. But we're not. Lily wasn't. If she could be here now to see this, I don't know what she'd say. "

"I think," Harry began, "Mum would be proud of how well you're standing up, and continuing with your life. You're fighting against the evil in this world, and yes, he killed her, but you're not driven by revenge to hunt him down, are you?"

James shook his head. "No."

"Then that proves you are not insane or mentally unstable. You may want revenge but I'm more important to you then your own needs. If people are willing to look at you that way, then they should see you as one of them, and if you have confidence in me, then the rest of the Wizarding World will believe in me." Harry explained.

A faint smile tugged at his lips. "Thanks kiddo." James said. "It's just making them see it, is the problem. One day the others will see it and will beg you for your forgiveness. I just wish people would open their eyes before this war gets any worse."

"So do I?" Sirius agreed.

They sat in silence.

* * *

"Severus!" James called, "A quick word!" 

The Potions Master turned his head, and a look of contempt crossed his features but he halted so that James could catch up. "What is it, James?"

"I was just wondering if it was possible anyone could work out about Snuffles?" James lowered his voice so that passing students couldn't hear their conversation.

Snape scowled, obviously agitated that he had to be talking about the one person he loathed. "It is if they are smart."

James grimaced. "There was an article in the Daily Prophet about _him _being seen near here, and I thought that possibly Malfoy might know because of his father."

"It's possible." Snape said. "If that is the case then make him act like a normal dog or his cover will be blown."

"I already warned him. He says he'll be more careful in future." James trailed off, his eyes becoming distant. "I just wish that little rat would show himself."

"Maybe that wish will come true," Snape added, "After all, it did for your _son_."

James rolled his eyes. He chose to ignore that comment. "Look, thanks for your help, but if you hear anything can you tell me?"

"I will."

"Thank you." James said and started to walk off, then he turned back and said, "I was wrong about you all those years ago. You are a decent person."

Snape couldn't help smiling.

**TBC**

**I'm not entirely sure Snape would smile, but, after all James is being kind to him and hasn't hexed him yet, I mean he's got to smile at some point, right? **

**Thank you's go to the following: **Lunatic Pandora1; HarryPotterknoitall; IamSiriusgrl; Elanore de Lioncourt; HarrysGrrl; Pure Black; Padfoot's Sidekick; dweem-angel; queen-of-monkey-magic; Dracis Tran _(they're may be more reactions coming up!)_; bandgsecurtiyaw; squiddie03; Crazy-Physco; ambereyes2873 _(I hope this chapter answered some of your questions!)_; Kim Kotchanski; amrawo; Shania Maxwell; maya100; Supernova8610; Eric2; PrincessSkywalkerOrgana; emuerz; Barbossa'sApples; Red-head attack; Smorefan; Xylia Dark; zippyfox; luna-rocker** and **Inumaru12.

**Loonie Potter: **At the moment I have planned out thirty-six chapters leading up to the end of the fifth book, but as I am planning on continuing this story in the sixth book, I estimate around sixty chapters, but I really don't know how many chapters I will end up writing.

**magicgirl45852: **I have no idea when Remus will be coming back in, as I am focusing more on the relationship between James and Harry. He will come in later, later on. Hopefully once I get to Christmas and then Summer (again) Remus will feature a lot.

**angelicmayuka: **Draco was just testing his limits on James. He was seeing how far he could go before James lost his temper. The twigs that James taught were actually taught by Professor Grubbly-Plank to the fifth years in the fifth book before Hagrid returned which is why I used them. I haven't thought more about the prank yet, but if it does come about it will occur around chapter twenty. The memories will feature next chapter and they will focus mostly on James and Lily and baby Harry. Thank you for your kind words. I hope you liked this chapter!

**LiLaZnGrLy: **Don't worry about the lost review. Whoa, your Chinese? We've got one Chinese girl at my school, and she's really nice, but very quiet. She was a transfer student and I think she's a bit overwhelmed with the english school I go to. Oh, please send my condolences onto your friends and hope they get better soon. Not more grammer mistakes! I don't mind, but I read through the chapters several times before posting. I suppose mistakes do escape me. About the bowtruckles, wouldn't you say that Wood lice and fairy eggs are insects? Because that is why I wrote insects instead of the names. It would be nice for Neville to get something right for once. The sentence 'James raised his eyebrows, unbelieving' is in fact correct because that is how I have been taught at school by my english teacher. Since I'm english I have a different view on the english/grammar language then Americans do. Those scenes were really funny. I liked all of them. Good job! I hope you liked this chapter!

**Lady Taliesin: **Bad luck that you've been busy. So have I. I haven't even completed the next chapter yet! (which is what the bad news is all about below this response). And you are not going insane, if you did, then your reviews would be full of insaneness and they are not, so you are not insane (and I hope you don't go insane because of your busy life). Yes, the plot information is still open for you. I'll gladly share anything with you, as long as its possible. There are some aspects of the story that I want to keep hidden from everyone (no offense) but then it wouldn't be that fun, really. Whenever you get an e-mail address, I'll be waiting to answer any questions you may have. How long do you get spring break for? I'm on Easter holidays now and I have nearly three weeks before I go back to school for the summer term until July. Dumbledore did set up James' lesson for him, but he was using James' lesson plans - hope that makes sense. Honestly some teenagers are tactless - I used to be the same way - though I'm not anymore. I think if James set Snuffles on Malfoy, he would find a way to get him killed for being a ferocious dog or something. O-o-o-okay that latest bit of insaneness was very strange, but quite funny, once I'd read through it a few more times. Bowtruckles eat fairy wings and wood lice but I just put insects so Neville could get something right for change. Yeah…I think James was a bit out of character with Harry in that little talk. He's just very concerned about him so he's acting not himself but in a protective manner. Don't worry, James will start beginning to wind down after a bit. He's just nervous he'll ruin his chances of passing his almighty knowledge onto the students. Prongs bashing review. Heh..heh…I don't think you've ever done that. Hopefully that won't happen very often. Thank you for your wonderful review! I hope you enjoyed this latest chapter!

**BAD NEWS - please read**

As you readers all know, I update on Wednesdays and Saturdays, however due to circumstances I will only be able to update once a week from now on. Therefore I will update every Saturday or Sunday depending on how busy I am. At the moment I do not even have the next chapter ready for posting: it's not even seen the first draft! I like to be ahead in my chapters - by at least five chapters - however instead of depriving my readers of chapters, I have decided to limit the many chapters you get a week. As the summer comes in, I am being faced with exams and lots of dead-lines and I need more time then I do to do work. However on the off chance, I might be able to get two chapters out a week if I can, however it seems unlikely until the end of July when I break up from school. If I do fail to post a chapter at the weekends then I will try to update during one of the days in the week.

It is now Easter holidays here in the UK, but I am very busy so that is why there will be an update every weekend from now on, until the end of the school year. I hope you can all understand and will stick by me.

**Thank you for all the support so far, **

**MissBlackPotter**

**Next Chapter is entitled: Umbridge's Plot**, in which James drinks a potion and Umbridge receives the shock of a lifetime! **Coming next weekend! **


	16. Umbridge's Plot

**YES I am ALIVE! In case anyone was wondering why I didn't update last weekend. Well I do have a valid reason: I tried my hardest to update last weekend on the Saturday but was down and I tried all day, but kept failing. On the Sunday I went away with my parents to our boat for a whole week where there is no Internet (or computer) available so I was unable to update anyway. Yesterday we left the boat to go to my brothers house (and he does have a computer and Internet) however I find it rude to use other peoples things for my own personal happiness (and I didn't have the next chapter with me anyway). It's Sunday 10th April now, and I am back at home and able to update. So here is the chapter that you've waited for, two weeks now, and for that I am very sorry. **

**If anyone is still reading this story then proceed. **

**WARNING: This chapter has one 'bad' word.**

* * *

**Prongs Rides Again**

**Chapter Sixteen: James' Memories (Umbridge's Plot)**

Days later, James made his way down to breakfast, Sirius at his side, barking at several of the students. Since Dumbledore had warned James that Umbridge would be giving him a potion at some point, he had been on the alert, however nothing had happened. It had been almost two weeks since term had started.

Entering the great hall, James found his eyes scanning it for his son. Finally he spotted a tuft of black hair sticking up from the very middle of the Gryffindor table. He was chatting with Ron and Hermione, pouring over the Daily Prophet. James sighed, as he sat down at the staff table. A few days ago the Prophet had reported Fudge's actions in appointing Dolores Umbridge, the High Inquisitor. She now had the ability to inspect teachers and have them suspended if they didn't meet the necessary requirements. Thankfully James hadn't been inspected yet, though he realised it would only be a matter of days before Umbridge made herself present for one of his lessons…and he was betting it would be when he was teaching Harry.

"Professor Potter."

James looked up and saw Professor Umbridge standing next to his chair, smiling an awfully false smile.

"Good morning, Dolores." James answered, picking up his fork to dig into the food. This was it. She would only be sitting next to him if she had the potion required to make him show everyone the truth. Even if this worked and he proved that he was James Potter, he doubted she would believe him.

"How are your classes?" Umbridge asked.

James hesitated before answering. _Is she trying to be civil to me? _"They've been fine. The lessons are challenging, but I am finding that the students are willing to listen to what I've got to say." he chose his words carefully, and even then he wasn't sure that what he had said was adequate.

He turned away to look in the opposite direction, but kept a tiny watch upon his adversary's actions. There! He watched as the Witch poured a small green potion into his glass. He was right. This was it. Time to show her up. He turned back and she hastily pulled her hand back hiding the vial in her robes with skill.

He waited for five minutes, watching as Umbridge grew more anxious. At last James took up the goblet and drank the liquid down deeply. It tasted completely normal, as if nothing was wrong with it, but he felt a change brewing inside him. His mind became hazy; his hands shook and then he gasped, falling from his chair and landing hard on his shoulder.

He heard the rushing of teacher's footsteps but Umbridge's voice rung clearly: "Stay away from him. I am proving to you that he is an imposter!"

James convulsed. He vaguely saw the shape of Sirius' Animagus form being dragged back by McGonagall. And then all went blank as he relieved his memories, knowing full well that those in the Great Hall could see them to.

* * *

_He was eleven years old. His parents stood beside him as he opened up his letter, his stomach shaking as he wondered if he truly had been accepted or not. James read the letter through twice, before looking up at his parents, his eyes shining. _

"_I've been accepted," he whispered, "I'm going to Hogwarts!" _

_His mother leapt forward, hugging her son. "I knew you would, James!" _

"_I'm proud of you." his father replied, ruffling his hair._

* * *

_Second year. Twelve years old. His hair a bit longer, falling about his face in strands, James stood with three other boys, two of which were holding their wands at the other. James stepped forward, his eyes looking hurt, as if what he was about to say couldn't be true. _

"_Remus," James said, lowering his wand, "please tell us the truth." He shivered. "Are you a werewolf?" _

_Silence in the dormitory. Remus' eyes flew over his companions but finally he nodded, knowing full well he couldn't keep the secret any longer. He hated lying to his friends. He felt that each time he did, he hurt them more then he meant to. He wished that things didn't have to be this way… _

"_Why didn't you tell us?" James whispered. _

"_Who'd want to be friends with a werewolf?" Remus asked, shocked that they were still speaking to him. _

"_I do." James answered. "You may have lied to us but you had a good reason." _

"_You thought that we would abandon you over this?" Sirius asked, obviously astounded that Remus would consider such a thing. _

_Remus nodded. "No one has ever wanted to remain friends with me after they knew." _

"_I do," James answered, holding out his left hand. "Friend's forever." _

"_Brothers." Sirius answered, laying his own hand on top of James'. _

_Then Peter followed. "Always." _

_Lastly Remus laid his hand on top of there's. "Thanks for understanding." _

"_What are brothers for?" James grinned. _

_Remus smiled lightly, pleased that he had found friend's loyal enough not to abandon him over something so trivial as the werewolf curse. Even though they accepted him, he could not bring himself to tell them about how it happened for many weeks. When he did, their bond as brother's grew stronger then it had ever before. _

* * *

"_Lily! Wait up!" James called. _

_The red-haired, fifteen year old beauty, turned on her heels and gave James a cold stare. Even that made him melt. "What is it, Potter?" _

"_I was wondering," James began, struggling for words, "that is, if you would concede, if you would like to go to Hogsmeade with me?" he hoped that he hadn't offended her. _

_Lily stared at him but her lips moved before she could prevent them. "No. I do not want to go out with you. I've told you before, Potter, we are not meant to be, even if you think we are." _

_James' heart fell. "Okay. I won't ask again. I just thought…maybe you would…you know…give me a chance to prove to you that I can be a nice guy." _

"_Change who you show yourself to be, James, and then maybe I'll reconsider." She walked off, leaving James standing alone, wondering what she meant. _

* * *

_The four boys were standing in an unfamiliar room, notes spread out on a table and complex diagrams sitting on a board. Remus was frowning, and James was lounging in his chair, smiling. _

_Remus took a deep shuddering breath. "Right here we go." He spread his hands wide. "James, you first." _

_James stood up, brushing the crinkles out of his robes. He tossed a grin at Sirius. He stepped into the center of the circle that was in the centre of the room. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and began the transformation. His limbs changed, his head lengthened, and suddenly he was a Stag. The question was: could he sustain the transformation? He didn't change. He had succeeded! _

_Panic suddenly rose in his chest. He couldn't transform back! His heart beat fast and he felt precipitation trailing down his face. Then he felt magic pulsing through him. His body was changing back; relief spread through him. Once he was back in his human form he turned to Remus, who was grinning broadly. _

"_You did it, James." _

"_Yeah," he replied, "I guess I did." _

_Remus turned to Sirius. "All right, Padfoot, it's your turn." _

_Sirius stepped forward, his eyes gleaming. "If James can do it, so can I." _

_James grimaced. Yes, Sirius was always competitive. James stepped aside as Sirius took his place in the center of the room. He began the transformation. Black hair sprouted, and as the other three boys watched…_

* * *

Something clicked in James' mind as he lay watching the memories pass him by. He couldn't let them know about Sirius, otherwise they would guess….Panic erupted through him. Conserving his strength and suddenly letting it go, he managed to block off the memory of Sirius' transformation, but it left him drained of power, and all he could do was sit back and watch as more memories passed through his system.

* * *

_James was pacing in the Head-boy compartment. He had read through his instructions and was waiting for his partner to arrive. Whoever it was, would change him, he just didn't know how much. The door opened and Lily Evans walked in. she stopped in her tracks, surprise and then anger evident in her features. _

"_POTTER! What are you doing here?" she demanded. _

"_I'm Head-boy." James replied. _

"_You?" Lily spluttered, unbelieving. _

_James nodded. "Yes. Look before you argue with me, I think I can do this. I've got a position to uphold and I mean to do it. I may have been an idiot before, but I want to prove that I am worthwhile. I can do this job, if only you believe that I can and don't bite my head off over it." he sighed, "I'm willing to work with you and drop all the bad habits…heck…even tormenting Snape. I never thought I'd get this position, but I have, and I mean to prove to the school who I really am." _

_Lily was speechless. She nodded her approval. "Then James, I will be here to support you, as long as you support me." _

_James smiled. "I will be." Mentally, he vowed: _I will show you who I really am.

* * *

_She was trembling. Tears gathered in her eyes, but was it tears of love or denial? James had no clue. He looked into Lily's eyes, seeing love mellowing deep within them. _

"_James," she lifted a hand to touch his cheek, "Do you really mean that?" _

_He nodded, brushing a hand on her cheek. "Yes, Lily, I do." He got down on one knee, "Lily Evans, will you marry me?" Was he really doing this? _

_A faint smile lifted Lily's face up and she pulled James into a hug, whispering: "Yes, James, I will marry you." _

_James couldn't help laughing, as he pulled Lily into a hug and then kissed her firmly on the lips. He was really going to marry Lily! He had never thought she'd say yes. After all they had only been out of Hogwarts for four months. Her commitment to him must mean that she loved him more then he thought possible. _

_He couldn't wait to let the guys know. _

* * *

"_James!" Lily cried, happy tears running down her cheeks. _

"_What is it?" James asked, standing up from the table, in which he sat around with Sirius, Remus and Peter playing cards. _

_She placed a hand on her abdomen. "I'm pregnant." _

"_What?" James gasped. Silence from the table. But then a wide grin spread to consume his face. "That's brilliant!" _

"_We're going to have a baby." Lily squealed. _

"_Hah!" James laughed. "This is great! I know my parents will be dying to know about this!" _

_Lily smiled, glad that James was happy about this. They hadn't planned for this but with the war going on, who knew when it would be possible to have a child in a safe environment? _

_James turned to the guys. "Can you believe? I'm going to be a father!" _

_Sirius was the first to jump up and clap James, and carefully hug Lily. "When is the little Potter due?" _

"_Beginning of August." Lily said. _

"_That's ages! Can't it come a little sooner?" Sirius asked. _

_Lily burst out of laughing. "Sirius, it takes nine months for a baby to grow and develop! I'm only nine weeks in!" _

_Sirius shrugged. "Congratulations. You'll make great parents…I just know it!" _

* * *

_Crying. James struggled to push the covers off him, as he stumbled in the darkness of his room. _

"_Lumos!" Lily muttered. _

_With light projecting from his wife's wand, James crossed the room more efficiently and quickly, coming beside his son's crib. Baby Harry was brawling. He wasn't hungry, as he had been fed just two hours ago. It was a nightmare of some kind that had frightened the four month -old baby. _

"_Come on, little guy." James whispered, picking up his son and settling him in a more comfortable position in his arms. _

_He began humming, a tune that his mother had sung to him as a little boy. A few minutes passed and Harry's crying began to cease and the small child began to fall asleep in his daddy's arms. James carefully pulled a bit of black hair out of his son's face and grinned happily. He couldn't believe that his little bundle was his son. _

"_Is he back to sleep?" Lily asked, yawning. They took it in turns to get up for Harry. Obviously it was James', but he didn't mind. He didn't want to miss being with his son. _

"_Yeah, he is. I'll put him back to bed." Carefully James laid the tiny boy in his crib and covered him in blankets. He slid into bed next to Lily and kissed her. "Sleep, my princess." _

_Lily's head obediently fell back onto the pillow, sleep overpowering her. James watched her. _

* * *

_December roared in and coming with it was heavy snow. The lake near to where they lived was covered in ice. Using magic James strengthened it so that it was capable to hold human weight and then taking Lily by the hand, they were skating. Little snowlets dropped from the sky causing the scene to become more romantic then it already was. _

_Sirius stood at the edge, holding Harry, and talking to him in a baby way, pointing out James and Lily. _

_The two skated for hours, just enjoying the time they could have on their own. _

* * *

"_What was that?" Lily jumped, her bright green eyes searching for the source of the disturbance. _

_James lifted his wand and muttered a dark detecting spell. His eyes widened. "Oh god." _

"_James?" Lily asked tentatively._

"_He's here." James stated. "Lily, go. Get Harry and run!" _

_Lily made a run for the stairs. _

"_I'll hold him off!" James shouted up to her. He had to give Lily sometime to get Harry to safety. He was important. It suddenly struck him that he would never see his wife and son again. Then the door blew open and Voldemort stepped into the house. _

_James let off a stream of curses but the Dark Lord blocked them all, laughing, his red eyes gleaming in satisfaction. _

"_Expelliarmus!" the Dark Lord bellowed. _

_James dodged the spell, rolling to the side and letting off another stream of curses. One got through, and Voldemort screeched in pain. _

"_POTTER!" _

_James swallowed, defiance evident in his features, his stature and his eyes, no matter how afraid he felt inside. He was going to die, he knew that much. Wormtail had betrayed them. Why? What had made him do it? _

"_CRUCIO!" Voldemort shouted. _

_SHIT! James thought but too late. The curse struck him and he screamed in pain as agony tore through him. He didn't know how long it lasted but all he knew was that he wanted it to stop. His wand cluttered to the ground. He fell half-against the wall, barely managing to stand on his feet. _

_The curse was withdrawn. _

_Red eyes met his own, and a cruel smile pulled at the merciless features. "You have been a thorn in my side for far too long, James Potter." her raised his wand. "And now you die." _

"_AVADA KEDAVRA!" _

_Unable to avoid the curse, James stood his ground. As it hit him he felt fire racing through his body, his mind fleeing from his body and his consciousness faded into nothingness. He fell to the floor, traces of pain wracking through his battered body and then he was gone…_

_Voldemort's voice echoed as he faded… "Your pretty Mudblood wife is mine…" _

* * *

The memories stopped. Relief spread through him. Carefully he opened his eyes to find Dumbledore standing over him. 

"Rest James." The headmaster said.

As he closed his eyes, James saw Umbridge having a shouting contest with Professor McGonagall. Obviously the potion had failed to prove that he wasn't James Potter. It made him feel good inside, knowing that he had won. It was the peace that he needed as darkness claimed him.

* * *

Throughout this entire performance the whole hall had been silent. As the final memory vanished, students turned to look at Harry, who was equally stunned at what he had seen. What had happened? He glanced at Hermione, who seemed to be thinking, her brow creased in concentration. Mutterings began through the hall, but suddenly stopped as Umbridge began shouting, obviously not pleased with what had happened. 

"I tell you, he is not James Potter!" she shrieked, "He must've got those memories else where!"

"Prey tell us, Dolores, how it is possible for him to acquire James Potter's memories if you say he is not James? According to you, he has been dead since October 31st 1981, yet you just saw his death. No one was there that night save for Lily Potter, Harry, James and You-Know-Who." Professor McGonagall reasoned.

"I don't know!" Umbridge replied, "He probably took his memories! There is prove there that he is not James Potter!"

"How?"

"He deliberately ended a memory so we could not see the outcome! That means he was hiding his true self!" Umbridge declared, feeling that at last she had won the battle.

"Perhaps it was merely a secret about his friends." Professor Dumbledore said, stepping into the conversation.

Umbridge lowered her eyelids, making herself look menacing, however the headmaster chose to overlook that.

"You got what you want Dolores. You saw his memories. There is more then substantial proof to show that he is the real James Potter. Now…lets leave this matter behind us…and let us get back to our daily activities. If you choose to believe that James Potter is not who he says he is, then I will accept that, but I firmly believe that, due to the evidence presented just now, he is James Potter."

Umbridge glowed in anger but did not speak. Her eyes glared dangerously, but then she stomped off, hands clenched in fury.

Dumbledore smiled at McGonagall. "Hopefully she will not try anything else to prove her incorrect theories." He clasped his hands together. "Now, I need to speak to James. If you'll excuse me."

* * *

The Gryffindor fifth years made their way to the common room. Harry was silent, his mind worrying about his father and wondering what exactly had happened. Dean and Neville were talking animatedly about the memories, while Seamus seemed to be ignoring them. Hermione had not spoken since. 

When they reached the common room, Hermione took Harry and Ron aside. "I think I know what happened down there."

"What?" Ron asked. Harry glanced at her.

"Well," Hermione began, "I remember reading about a potion that allowed anyone to see memories of that person's life. Obviously, Umbridge put that potion into James' goblet, so when he drank it, everyone in the hall could see his memories."

"What was the purpose for it?" Harry asked.

"To prove to us that James is a traitor and someone in disguise. However that potion has proved that he is your father." Hermione explained with relish. "No one would have access to the memories that James showed us."

Harry nodded. "I bet Umbridge still doesn't believe it."

"Probably not." Hermione answered. "She is - and if I dare say it - a bitch. James doesn't deserve to face this. He's been through so much…I can't bare to see him in pain."

"Neither can I." Harry answered.

Silence followed. After a minute or so, Harry got to his feet and headed towards the portrait hole.

"Where are you going?" Ron asked.

Harry glanced over his shoulder. "To see my dad. Make sure he's all right after what the old toad put him through." He left before the others could reply to his statement.

* * *

"_Lily…No…not Lily…please don't hurt her…I'll do anything!" _

"Awaken!" a calm, wizened old voice said, as a cool hand rested upon his forehead.

Slowly the world slid into focus, and James grudgingly opened his eyes to see Dumbledore looking down upon him, a slight smile of concern flitting on the edge of his lips.

"Hey, Professor." James smiled tiredly.

"I'm glad to see that you are awake. You gave Umbridge quite a shock with the memories."

James smiled again, glad that he had secured some victory. "But she doesn't believe it though, does she?"

Dumbledore shook his head sadly. "Unfortunately she thinks you got the memories else where. There is no way we can convince her of the truth unless Cornelius Fudge believes it. He doesn't even though he has made the announcement."

James growled underneath his breath. "I just wish they could accept the fact that I am real."

"They will in time, James. Give them a chance. You'll be able to prove who you are at a later stage. I do not know when or how but it will come, and when it does they will accept all what you have to say. "

"I hope you're right. I don't want to live the rest of my life as a liar. I can't bear they would see me like this."

"People will one day see the truth." Dumbledore answered. "I guarantee that."

"Harry is here to see James," Madam Pomfrey said.

The headmaster moved away from the bed, stepping towards the door. He passed Harry, avoiding his eye contact.

James brightened visibly when he saw Harry. "Hey kiddo."

"Dad." Harry inclined his head. "I'm glad you're awake. I was pretty worried that Professor Umbridge had done something really bad to you."

James shrugged. "I knew about it already, I just didn't know when she would attempt to do it."

Harry brushed his hand through his hair. "What exactly did she do? Hermione said that she used a potion to make us see those memories."

"That's true." James replied. "It's the only way to prove that I am who I say I am."

"I don't need convincing." Harry smiled warmly, laying a hand on his father's shoulder. "When I first met you, I didn't know what to think. I was unbelieving, unsure of whether I should truly hope that you were real, or if it was just some trick of Voldemort's. But you convinced me when you spoke of Lily…of mum. No one would fall apart like you did, especially if you loved her so much. It was in that moment, that I realised I had a family, someone who I could rely on to protect me. I've never had that before, and now you are here, it's hard to let go." Harry bit his lip. "I wanted to help you. I didn't want to see you suffer. I could tell that you were in pain. I sort of…felt it…in my heart. Whatever pain you go through, dad, I do to. We're connected in more ways then one. I wish that others could see you for who you really are instead of some mad-man in a James Potter look-alike suit."

James ruffled Harry's hair, pulling his son into a hug. Harry responded, wrapping his arms round James. They found comfort in each other. That was enough in its self to prevent any worries from entering either Potter's mind.

**TBC**

**Well, what did you think of James' memories? **

**Thank you's go to the following people: **silverbluenchantress; Kim Kotchanski; LiLy MaLfOy13; IamSiriusgrl; thinkingpink (I really don't like the new ratings, I don't understand them!); shazia)Riavera; queen-of-monkey-magic; DementorIceCream; the 1 hp fan; Loonie Potter; Eric2; dweem-angel; Barbossa'sApples; Crazy-Physco; Inumaru12; PrincessSkywalkerOrgana; ismesimine; zippyfox (yes, all my work is driving me mad!); luna-rocker; amrawo; supernova8610; FutureGoddess; squiddie03; Pure Black;emuerz;magicgirl45852; Japanese-jew; Silverspecter (I'll review your story later); Shalaren; Smorefan; iblameteraspawn; **and** Jb.

**ambereyes2873: **I hope to include Remus in the upcoming chapters, but I'm not sure if I can put him into the story as well as I have managed with James.

**Dracis Tran: **Sorry about Snape not being in character. I have no idea how to write him. I'm trying to delve into his thoughts concerning James. I mean, you can't hold a grudge forever, can you? Well, you could, but I think since they are basically on the same side they would try and work together for the benefit of the school.

**HarrysGrrl: **I have two exams this year (ones a retake as a failed it first time). Harry has been in the 'I will not tell lies' stage for two weeks as he got another set of detentions as well. We're in to the third week of term. Did you like this chapter?

**LiLaZnGrLy: **Another reviewer who goes insane…(I have to admit those reviews are the best as they make me laugh). Thanks for pointing out the mistake. I always make at least one mistake in every chapter. I was re-reading through the first chapter, and it was so awful. What was I thinking when I wrote that! Two typos! DOH! I read through my work but it never clicks - I'm glad that someone tells me these mistakes so at a later stage I can go back and correct them! And the five minutes of insaneness was fine! I have no problem with it!

**Lady Taliesin: **HIYA!I hope James was up to standard for you, especially in the memories. I am experimenting with different aspects of James' life. I hope they came out all right. Okay, onto your review. I have seen Monty Python and the Holy Grail but that was a long time ago. I liked the film a lot and if your brother didn't like it…then he might not understand the humour of it. James as King Arthur (mental image appears of him standing on top of a hill holding a flag and holding his chin high and looking at his three friends, one of which is cowering a mile away; the other is in the process of turning into a werewolf; and the other is playing pranks on the enemy: Snape.) Sorry, I'm in a rather weird mood as I write this. Hehe…I do think Prongs needs a hug. He won't get that many…WOW, you thought that I did a great job with James' emotions when talking to Harry? Thanks! You know what? I think I should assign you to be James' therapist, maybe it would knock some sense into him, and turn him back into a proper Marauder! More funny/insaneness! Heh, I loved that one! James making a doggy collar for Snuffles and taking him down to see Snape! Maybe I should write something (a humour story like that) and title it 'How James Potter tortured Severus Snape a hundred times in one day with Snuffles doggy collar!' or something…blurgh…I'm now officially going insane. James does trust Sirius, he just knows he is an impulsive idiot who would do anything without consulting someone about it first. And he doesn't want to lose his best friend either. Oh, I'll join all three of those 'I-hate-clubs!'. I dislike all of those characters, but Umbridge is the worst. Yeah…about Snape smiling, I figured he would smile at least once in a while, he can't be a slimy old git all the time, can he? And he is trying to get over his grudge with James. I hope you liked this chapter! I'll e-mail you later when I have time. I've got to look at my e-mails now!

**Next Chapter: The High Inquisitor **- in which James has another encounter with Umbridge when she comes to inspect his class! **Will be available, hopefully, on the 16th April 2005! **

**Thank you for reading!**

**MissBlackPotter **


	17. The High Inquisitor

**This chapter is a little shorter then my previous ones but there isn't much happening in it. I would've combined the next chapter with this one, but its not finished yet. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Prongs Rides Again**

**Chapter Seventeen: The High Inquisitor **

"I don't recall you ever mentioning anything about this, Prongs?" Sirius said, lifting up the Daily Prophet from a few days ago.

Glancing up from marking papers, James read the headline his friend was pointing at.

**MINISTRY SEEKS EDUCATIONAL REFORM**

**DOLORES UMBRIDGE APPOINTED**

**FIRST EVER HIGH INQUISITOR**

James grinned. "Outrageous, but still a lot of fun. At least I can prove that I am a good teacher."

"But you can't prove who you really are." Sirius replied. He was quite upset that Umbridge had done that to James. However he was grateful that James had succeeded in keeping Sirius' Animagus Form safe from that toad. If he'd been unable to prevent it…Sirius didn't know what to think what could've happened.

James shrugged, undeterred. He was pleasantly surprised she hadn't mentioned anything about his Animagus form. He didn't mind anyone knowing about that, but he couldn't endanger his friends by revealing theirs. He suspected that Umbridge was bidding her time, and would eventually ask him about his Animagus form. For now he was content in waiting.

"I just can't believe that the Ministry is doing this to Hogwarts! What is Fudge thinking?" Sirius asked.

"Apparently he thinks Dumbledore is off his rocker. He wants to get rid of those who are loyal to him." James grimaced. "All of us have got to be careful not to be caught in league with him. Besides I'm already under suspicion because they think I'm mental and insane."

Sirius raised his eyebrows. "Even after all that memory stuff?"

"I'm respected more. I think some of the younger Slytherins are less hostile towards me but the older years haven't changed. Umbridge still doesn't believe that I'm James Potter, even after everything was shown. She'll be impossible to convince unless Fudge believes it and I doubt that will happen in a million years."

"I've given up on the government from ever realising their mistakes. I'm frankly, tired, of all the criticism I've had over the years." Sirius answered. "Good luck on getting Fudge to believe what words you say."

"You never know," James replied, "what the future may hold."

* * *

True to the Ministry Decree, Umbridge inspected teacher's lessons. James found himself apprehensively waiting for the day when the old toad would turn up in his lesson. He only hoped it wouldn't be when he was teaching Harry: he knew that Umbridge would try and catch him out, and that would be unfair to both him and Harry. 

As life would have it, a week later, Umbridge turned up to inspect James' lesson, when Harry was due to be in the class. This only made James' mood worse. Much as he hated the old bat he had to behave in order to keep his job. He didn't know what Harry would say if he found out he had been chucked out of a job. In order to improve his chances of staying as a Professor, James had asked Sirius to remain behind in their room, however, his friend was stubborn and argued that it would seem suspicious that he didn't attend lessons with James, since the students were so friendly towards him.

However James worried that Sirius might be caught and he worried continuously that someone knew about his Animagus Form. Only time would tell if the person who knew would come forth.

Strolling down into the grounds, James found Harry, Ron and Hermione waiting for him. He smiled merrily and waved, even though he felt ill to the stomach.

"Well, we're continuing with Bowtruckles today. We need to finish off about them before we move onto the more interesting creatures." He smiled in satisfaction. "Oh, and Harry, don't get mad at Professor Umbridge. She's coming to inspect this lesson today."

Harry scowled. "I'm not scared of her." Seeing James' stern look, he added, "I'll behave, dad, don't you worry."

"Thanks." James sighed in relief. The easy part was over, the hard part was about to begin.

"Have any other teachers been inspected yet? I haven't talked to them recently."

Hermione frowned. "Professor McGonagall was inspected during Transfiguration."

Ron brightened by visibly, as he had been feeling low since Percy's letter. "Oh, yeah! You should've been there James - I mean Professor! McGonagall really ticked her off for interrupting her when she was talking to the class. Umbridge really didn't like that! She deserves it," he said nastily, "batty old witch."

"Ron!" Hermione whispered, eyes widening.

"What?" he asked, turning round, but his shining, laughing face seemed to fall as he took in the woman behind James, who had approached them so quietly, they hadn't even noticed her presence. By the cold look on her face, she had heard everything.

"_Hem hem._" Umbridge said, sounding more like a frog then a human being, "That will be a week's worth of detentions with me, Mr Weasley, every afternoon at five-o-clock."

Ron winced, obviously annoyed that he had been caught. Under his breath he muttered: "Stupid old cow."

Fortunately she was too engaged watching the rest of the class appear to hear Ron's comment, which both Ron and James were pleased that she hadn't heard. Nothing else could go wrong, or James would be the one to pay for it.

Once the whole class was assembled, James grudgingly began his lesson, feeling nervous but then he settled into the role. "We are going to continue our work on the Bowtruckle. First, has everyone completed their diagrams?"

The class raised their hands. "Good, excellent. Now, a lot of researchers have studied the Bowtruckle and through this they have been able to discover that it is a peaceful and an intensely shy creature, but if their natural habitat is threatened they are known to be quite dangerous. There is a simple way to calm the Bowtruckle down, in the likely event it might just attack you. Can anyone tell me what that might be?"

Hermione raised her hand.

"Yes, Miss Granger?"

"An offering of woodlice will placate the Bowtruckle long enough to let a witch or wizard remove wand-wood from its tree, if that is what they are after." She said proudly.

"Take five points." James said. "Right, as that is all the notes that you require on Bowtruckles, I would like you to get into fours. The object for you is to try and remember all the facts you can about Bowtruckles in a funny/entertaining way as possible. It will be a presentation, and in thirty minutes I wish to see your presentations. Get to work!"

Harry, Ron and Hermione immediately got together with Neville joining them.

James walked close to Harry but was stopped by Umbridge. "Have you been properly hired for this class and trained for it?" she asked in a sly voice.

"I did teach Defence Against the Dark Arts from September 1978 till July of 1979. I passed by N.E.W.T level of Care of Magical Creatures at an 'O'. Professor Dumbledore asked me if I would take the class until Professor Hagrid returns from his extended vacation."

Umbridge wrote this down on her notepad. "Oh…right. The headmaster is withdrawing information on Hagrid from me. Perhaps you could let me know?" she added, baiting him.

"Unfortunately, as much as I would _love _to help you, I have no idea myself. I don't know what I'd be doing once Hagrid returns. Dumbledore asked me to take the position, so I did." James shrugged, not seeing where this was going.

"So, you took it for your son?"

"What?" James looked taken back. He had to be careful here. "No…seeing Harry is a bonus, yes, but my main priority is to get the students through there exams. After all isn't that all teachers goals?"

"I suppose you're right." Umbridge said. She looked around the class. "How do you find Hogwarts? Does it's methods of running the school meet to your expectations?"

James nodded. "Yes. Dumbledore is excellent, but I think he could be more involved in the student's lives. Other then that I have no complaints."

"I see," Umbridge made a small note. "And what are you planning on covering with the class this year?"

"I'll take them through the creatures that are likely to come up in their O.W.Ls. They've covered Unicorns and Nifflers. I am hoping to cover Porlocks and Kneazles, and ensure they can recognise Crups and Knarls." James responded.

"You seem to know what you're doing at least." Umbridge remarked, slightly disappointed that James had in fact met her expectations.

She turned to the class. "I understand there have been some injuries?" she left the question hanging.

Malfoy was too eager to pass it up and he raised his hand. "That was me. I was slashed by a Hippogriff."

"A Hippogriff?" Umbridge scribbled frantically, her eyes alight.

James was about to say something when Harry spoke first.

"Only because he was too stupid to listen to what Hagrid told him to do." Harry was angry, and his father could see it.

"Harry-" James began but was cut off by Umbridge.

"Another nights detention, I think."

James groaned inwardly, throwing a dirty glance at Harry. His son turned his face away from him.

"Thank you very much, Professor Potter, I think that's all I need here. You will be receiving the results of your inspection within ten days." Professor Umbridge turned around and walked back to the castle.

"Thank god, she's gone." James muttered. He turned back to the class and resumed.

* * *

"Harry, I'd like a word." James called out to his son as he dismissed the class. 

Harry turned round and strolled back to James, his hands in his pockets and looking quite like a teenager. "What." He was still upset with James.

"Look, I know why you did it Harry, but you've got to stop. Talking back to her won't help your situation. I know your frustrated about everything but if you keep going you will end up like me."

"What do you mean by that?" Harry asked.

James sighed. "You could end up dead. Just like I was and Lily still is." he explained. "I made a stupid mistake in choosing a secret keeper and look and that resulted in: me and your mother dead and you an orphan; Sirius in Azkaban, and Remus all alone."

"But your back." Harry replied.

"Only by you. I wouldn't be here if you weren't suffering so much. If I could change the past, I would. I'd make sure that Peter was discovered; that your mum and you had escaped and that you had a wonderful childhood growing up in a normal Wizarding environment. Everything that I wanted to see, I missed because I messed up who would protect our family. The signs were all there, but I didn't see them." James laid a hand on Harry's shoulder. "I know that you don't like it when I get on at you, but I failed to protect you once and I won't ever mess that up again. I want what's best for you. I may reprimand you but I do it so you don't fall into the same mistakes and traps that I did. You don't deserve it, not after what you have lived and suffered through."

"Can you forgive me for being overly protective?"

Harry smiled: it was one of understanding and acceptance. "Yeah, sure. I understand, dad, but after fending for myself for so long, its just odd to have a grown up do it for me." he started to walk away but turned back. "Dad, I'm glad I wished for you."

James smiled, feeling appreciated.

**TBC**

**Um…what did you think? Good, bad, needs to be rewritten? **

**Over 500 reviews! THANK YOU! I didn't think I'd get that many! Your comments mean so much to me! I'm glad you are all enjoying this story. According to my information we are just under half-way in this story till 'Half-blood Prince' story-line comes into play. That's if i decide to continue writing into Harry's sixth year...**

**Quick Note on the Pranks Issue**

Ever since I started this story people have been asking me to have James and Sirius or Fred and George do Pranks on either Umbridge and Snape, but I have not done so. The reason James and Sirius are not going to be doing Pranks is simple. The first one is that James is a teacher, and so what? He is still the same person he is before, right? Wrong he isn't. In my view he did those pranks to impress Lily, but he doesn't want to impress anyone so he sees no need to entertain the others. Also he is a Professor and if he is caught he would lose his job, which we can't have happening. Sirius on the other hand is being controlled by James. He wants to have fun but can't because of his status as a murderer and its a bit hard to do magic when you have to live as an Animagus. Also if he was discovered through Pranking then he and James would suffer the consequences. I am sorry if anyone has been waiting patiently for pranks but unfortunately it is not going to happen due to the circumstances surrounding James and Sirius.

**Okay onto Reviews and Thank you's. **

**Thank you's go to the following people: **B Madden; emuerz; Ingrid-Potter; Loonie Potter; Silverspecter (try not to ruin your plot to me!); MarauderKid; lilac (thanks for the help with the ratings); dweem-angel; Virginia Riddle-Malfoy; 2InsanitiesIn1; Crazy-Physco; Barbossa'sApples; Lunatic Pandora1; Inumaru12; marauders182; Suicidal bunnies; RoschLupin-Black; IamSiriusgrl; supernova8610; zippyfox;lulu; USA-Jeanette; FutureGoddess; Smorefan; Birchy; **and **AnnaSun.

**magicgirl45852: **Who says Umbridge will ever believe James? In fact (author looks at her chapter plan) I don't think that happens at all. I am following the overall plot of OOTP but it will begin to change nearer to the end. Remus will make an appearance next chapter.

**ambereyes2873: **Harry has finished his detentions with Umbridge, apart from the one he received this chapter.

**angelicmayuka: **You'll have to find out whether Dolores does use the potion as an excuse to become headmistress. But that won't be till chapter 27, according to be plan.

**queen-of-monkey-magic: **It's okay with the criticism. I honestly don't mind. It's nice to know that you are not afraid to tell me what you think I might have gone overboard with.

**HarrysGrrl: **I don't believe Dumbledore knew about the Marauders animagus forms during Hogwarts because in the 'Prisoner of Azkaban' book, Dumbledore says to Harry _'an extraordinary achievement - not least, keeping it quiet from me." _so to me that sounds like he never knew until Sirius told him about it. I hope that answers your question.

**Jb: **Well, James can't really be told off for becoming an illegal animagus at his age now, can he? If he'd been caught when he was younger then yes he would've been in trouble but as he's an adult they can't tell him off now.

**LiLaZnGrLy: **More hyperness! Heh heh. Uh…about the 'glowed' mistake, when I put glowed I was referring to the fact that she was going red, because to me when you get angry you get red. But thanks for pointing that out! HAH! That is so funny. Feminine Voldemort. Your description fits perfectly. Another typo - dang. I haven't seen the Ring and I probably won't as its not a film I would probably enjoy watching. My favourite films are Harry Potter (3rd place); Star Wars (2nd place) and finally Lord of the Rings (1st place). I'm more into the Sci-fi/Fantasy stuff. We really need to stop you saying the word CHEESINESS! Okay…that was a really weird scene. You're not from Planet of the apes are you? (No insult intended). You don't need to go to a mental hospital. Believe me, you're just acting normal for most people on here.

**Lady Taliesin: **Hello! Seven weeks till school is done for you? That's not fair! (I suppose it is since I have a longer Easter break then you). I don't break up until the middle of July! Ohhh….I hope your head is feeling better after you got hit by ball. I hate sports. I don't mind running as long as I'm allowed to walk the course. Badminton - I love playing. No one will play with me though, and I don't know why. Onto the proper review! I have to agree with you, James was a bit stupid to think Umbridge meant little harm. Thanks for pointing out my mistake with the word witch! Ahhhh, I made you cry? I didn't mean to. I'm glad you enjoyed the memories. Sorry about the bawling/brawling mix up. I don't know why but I swapped them round before posting because I thought brawling was the right word. GAH! That shows how intelligent I am! Yep, Harry will soon be causing trouble, especially for the people who think its right to put James down. Cutest ending ever? Thank you. I think I did another cute ending for this chapter, I'm not sure. Don't worry about the insaneness! Keep working on your story! And the review was fine. Thank you for your continued support!

**Next Chapter: **Hogsmeade for the Remaining Marauders! in which Moony, Padfoot and Prongs reunite; Hermione asks James an unusual request and a certain Slytherin is up to no good!

**Also: **I have posted a one-shot expanding on the Ice Skating memory that James showed Umbridge last chapter. It can be found in my profile or you can look under the James/Lily section of the Harry Potter fanfiction category.

**Until next time!**

**MissBlackPotter**


	18. Hogsmeade for the Remaining Marauders

**This chapter is a little longer then the last one. I'm afraid the chapters will be shorter for a while, but they will be a reasonable length. I'm hoping that the chapters will get longer around Chapter 21. I'm not sure just yet, but they will get longer, again. **

* * *

**Prongs Rides Again**

**Chapter Eighteen: Hogsmeade for the Remaining Marauders**

The next couple of weeks flew by and as September faded into October, James discovered that a Hogsmeade Weekend was being planned. The day had been scheduled for the first Saturday in October, and James had decided that he would go to the village. He, Sirius and Remus were to meet up in the village, and then proceed to the Shrieking Shack so that the three friends could speak without being disturbed.

Saturday dawned. A cool breeze echoed throughout the hilly landscape surrounding Hogwarts, but the sun beat down upon the earth, giving the day a warm, cool look. James slipped on a cloak, wrapping himself up warm.

Reluctantly, Sirius transformed into Padfoot and allowed James to put the dog collar on him. He hated the thing but at least James hadn't done anything silly to the collar, though he had threatened if Sirius didn't stop growling when Snape was around. True to his word, James had kept his friend from Snape, but on the rare occasion that they had met, Sirius had kept growling, which had prompted James to get a collar for his friend. He also got it so he could control his friend. Knowing Sirius, if he saw a rat resembling Peter, then he was most likely to chase after it and attempt to catch it, though James did think his friend had a lot more common sense then that.

Thankfully, no such incidents had occurred.

Yet.

James teasingly turned back to his animal friend and grinned. "Come on, Snuffles, its time to take you for your walk."

He laughed as Sirius bared his teeth, and he was sure Sirius would reveal himself if he didn't cease his teasing. "All right, I'll stop. Just lighten up will you?"

Taking hold of the lead James began a leisurely stroll through the castle. Students mellowed outside, waiting to depart to go to Hogsmeade. He saw Harry, standing with Ron and Hermione, and waved. His son replied and then a grin split his face when he saw Sirius with a dog collar, and James holding the lead. Harry laughed, trying not to lose control.

James walked over to Harry.

"Going to Hogsmeade?" Harry asked.

James nodded. "Someone's got to take this mutt for a walk, haven't they?"

"Definitely. He needs all the exercise he can get." Harry added, a twinkle glistening in his green eyes. For a moment, Harry reminded James so much of Lily that he was tempted to say it, but forced himself not to.

"Where are you going?"

"The usual." Harry shrugged.

"Everywhere?" James raised his eyebrows.

Harry nodded. "Yeah. I'll try not to spend much."

"Spend as much as you want." James leaned down. "And while you're there do you think you could get Snuffles here a muzzle? I think he may get the urge to attack me."

"I'm sure you can handle him." Harry responded.

"Unless he decides to get me in front of the whole school, and I think he may be planning to do that." James added, casting a glance at Sirius, who was growling low and his eyes shone with a nasty colour. James knew he was going to far.

Professor McGonagall was calling the students forward, and sending them off to the village. James said his farewells and walked over to McGonagall.

"James." She inclined her head.

"Minerva." James replied. "I'm just popping into Hogsmeade for the day. That is all right?"

"It is," she replied and as James started to walk away she grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back, "Be careful, James. Dolores is watching your every move. She wants to catch you out."

"I will be careful." James promised. "When have I never been careful?"

"When you were younger, James."

James smiled sadly. He wished he could change everything; change what had happened to Lily and Harry; change his own fate, perhaps even find a way to defeat Voldemort before his sons birth. If only…but that was only in his dreams. Maybe if he had been more careful and not gotten involved in the war…no…that had been the right decision. His parents death at the hands of Voldemort had caused him to take action. Just into his twenties he had been a good Auror. Just before his nineteenth birthday he had been an excellent Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, but his parents death had changed that. It had also brought him closer to Lily, and that had been one of the reasons for starting a family. Who knew what would stop you from living the life he had wanted. Part of his future was gone…forever. Possibly because of his carefulness.

Banishing those thoughts from his head, the young man walked out of Hogwarts, closely followed by a mingling of students who were eager to get to the village quickly. Harry was not in this group, however James sensed that his son wanted to remain unanimous within the village and was hoping to keep away from all the hustle and bustle of the students activities. Arriving last would help ease some of the tension.

After walking for nearly fifteen minutes, they reached Hogsmeade. A child-like grin spread across his face and James realised that he was remembering his first visit here. When he had been thirteen years old…

"_Look at that! Chocolate!" _

_James glanced over at the four girls running over to the shop that was filled from top to bottom with delicious looking chocolate. Among the girls was Lily, her red hair shining beautifully in the autumn sun. Someone nudged him in the arm. _

"_Yo, Potter, wakey-wakey!" _

_Turning away from the love of his life, James scowled at Sirius who had interrupted him. "What?" _

"_This is no time to gaze at Lily. We've got exploring to do." _

"_Sorry…" James began apologetically, "but you know how I feel about her. It gets worse every day…I ache to be with her…you wouldn't understand unless you were in my shoes." _

_Sirius sighed. "Come on guys, lets get lover-boy away from here." _

"_Bye, Lily," James whispered quietly as he walked off with the guys. Within minutes he had forgotten about the encounter and was enjoying the wondrous sight of the Wizarding village. _

The memory flushed through him and James sighed. Anything that reminded him of his love, hurt him. But as time went on, the pain became less, and though he missed Lily, he was beginning to understand that he couldn't always be like that. Harry needed him. It was that thought that spurred James forward into Hogsmeade and to once again explore his childhood once again.

* * *

Around midday, wizard and animagus approached The Three Broomsticks pub and entered into the stuffy atmosphere. Around them were students laughing and joking, eating and drinking. Madam Rosmerta hurried from table to table gathering drinks. She looked up as James approached, a black dog at his side. 

"James Potter!" a smile crept on her face. "Hogwarts worst troublemaker has returned! Who would've thought!"

James grinned broadly. "Well, it's not exactly my fault that I cheated death, was it?"

"You are incredibly lucky that you've had another chance." Madam Rosmerta said. "It's a shame that you couldn't have your old life back."

James realised that she was talking about Lily. A stab at his heart. He swallowed. "I've got to go now. I'm meeting Remus."

She nodded. "Yes, yes, he's over there in the corner. Have a nice day, James."

James inclined his head, and walked away, tugging the lead along.

Remus Lupin was sitting at a back table with a drink in hand and smiling. "Prongs!"

"Moony." James grinned, settling down in a chair. Sirius obediently moved round the chair, and placed his paws on Remus' legs saying hello.

"Hey, mate. Good to see you again." Remus took a sip from his drink. "So, do you want to go now or wait for a bit?"

"We'll go now." James replied.

Taking one last swig, Remus swallowed the rest of his drink and stood up. Quickly the two men and dog made their way out into the street. Passing through the village, they made their way up into the mountains where Sirius had once lived as a dog. Once they were well out of range, and James and Remus had made sure he area was secure, Sirius transformed back.

"I really hate playing the pet." He growled, brushing dust from his robes.

James laughed. "You'd better get used to it, Padfoot, unless you want to go back to Azkaban…."

Sirius scowled. "Just shut up, Prongs. I hate the fact that I can't attack you for putting me through this. Honestly a dog collar? What were you thinking?"

Remus chuckled. "Well, someone needs to keep you under control and a leash is the answer."

"I dislike it when you two gang up on me."

James shook his head, brushing black hair out his eyes, laughing. "Come on, lets Apparate."

Together the three friends apparated to the Shrieking Shack.

* * *

Draco Malfoy, heir to the Malfoy fortune, sneaked quietly, following James Potter. His father had asked him to follow him, and he wanted to prove to his father that he was loyal beyond words to the cause that he supported. The Dark Lord would be pleased with his work. One of the best things that his father had taught him was a spell that ensured that his presence would be concealed from anyone and no spell would reveal him unless Draco Malfoy wanted to be found. What made the deception easier was the fact that he wore an Invisibility cloak, his father had got from the Dark Lord. 

He heard an unfamiliar voice from up ahead. "I really hate playing the pet."

Draco stopped, a sly grin spreading across his face. Peering round the corner, he saw to his amazement and glee, that James Potter and Remus Lupin were not alone. It was Sirius Black, notorious mass murderer and dark lord supporter (though Draco Malfoy knew better - he knew the truth). What better way then to get back at James Potter then getting his best friend put back in Azkaban, or worse having to watch as his soul was taken by the Dementors.

"You'd better get used to it, Padfoot, unless you want to go back to Azkaban…" James trailed off, and Draco grinned even further. He could just leave and tell Umbridge about Black. He now had enough evidence to prove that Sirius Black was the friendly, black dog that James Potter kept. It would also be enough to have James Potter disgraced by the school and the authorities, but no, not yet…Draco would wait and report to his father, his findings. He would wait for the right moment to expose James Potter and Sirius Black's little secret.

What fun that would be…

* * *

They spent the remaining after-noon in the Shrieking Shack, recounting callobrating tales of their youth and remembering some of their happier moments. Remus dutifully informed James what his life had been like leading up to the point when he had stumbled across Sirius, Harry, Ron and Hermione in the Shrieking Shack, and Sirius explained a bit about Azkaban, though reluctantly. 

As the day drew to a close, the three friends said farewell. Remus Apparated back to London, and James and Sirius apparated back to the mountain cave where they had been earlier. Once there, Sirius transformed back into a dog and the two strolled back to Hogwarts, unaware that Sirius had been discovered hours before by a sneaky Slytherin boy.

* * *

A small knock on his quarters jostled James out of his sleep. He shook his head, and looked at his watch. Who would come knocking at this hour? 11PM? Dutifully, James stood up and crossed to the door. "Who is it?" he called out. 

"Hermione Granger." Came the response.

James gave a sigh of relief and opened the door to the Muggle-born. "You're here a little late?"

"I know, but I just came from Prefect rounds and…" she hesitated.

"Yes?" James prompted.

"Wanted to ask you something, but you've got to promise not to tell anyone, not even Harry."

"Depends on what that is." James answered, putting a silencing charm on the door to prevent any unwanted ears from listening in.

Hermione bit her lip. "It's like this. You see, Umbridge doesn't teach Defence that well, and we need someone who knows the subject. We were wondering - I mean I - was wondering if you would consent to teach some fifth years Defence Against the Dark Arts in preparation for the war against Voldemort. Harry, to a lesser extent, has agreed to do this, but I was hoping that you'd help out or at least aid him in teaching some of the harder spells that we hope to achieve by the end of the year." She looked hopefully at him, watching his reaction.

"I don't think Umbridge would like me doing that." James sighed. He would love to do something like that behind Umbridge's back, but then if it was discovered he would have a hard time proving that he wasn't involved in it. "It does sound dangerous to attempt this."

At this remark, Sirius glanced up and laughed. "I thought you lived for danger, Prongs?"

James scowled. "Not anymore. I have other responsibilities to you know. Like, Harry, for instance. It wouldn't be a good idea to be teaching Defence and get caught when I'm not supposed to."

"Why can't I help, Hermione?" Sirius asked, "I was an Auror, like James as well."

"There is the problem of you being the most wanted wizard in the world." Hermione muttered, "and no one believes that you are innocent."

"She has a good point." James replied. He turned back to Hermione. "Is there a reason as to why you really need to learn this stuff?"

Hermione nodded. "To fight against Voldemort. We need help from someone who has survived it. You did three times and that is enough to prove that you were a good fighter. We need someone like you to help us, the younger generation, to survive the battles we may have to live through once we leave school."

James sighed. "All right. I'll help, but I don't want to do anything actively with it. I need to remain here with Harry. I'll do whatever I can to ensure that you receive a good background of teaching. But, I will need to speak to Harry about it. Give him ideas."

"I suppose you can talk to him about it, but please be careful. We can't risk letting this get out." Hermione said.

"Don't worry, I can keep a secret." James promised.

Hermione nodded and then left. Neither James or Sirius said a word.

* * *

The following day James summoned Harry to his office. Casting a silencing charm upon the door and around the walls, James informed Harry of what Hermione had asked him. Harry agreed that as long as they were careful about when and where they met, they would be able to keep the club running, without Umbridge from finding out. 

"There is still the problem of finding a place to hold it." Harry said. "I don't know of anywhere that would be suitable."

"Shrieking Shack?" Sirius suggested.

Harry shook his head.

"No," James replied, "its too dangerous. Besides, not with all the rumors that go around there. It is out of bounds."

"Didn't stop me." Harry said.

"That was different," James intercepted, "you had a very good reason as to why you had to go there." he shot a look at Sirius, who shrugged.

"Wasn't my fault."

"Ignore him. I think he's sore Hermione didn't ask him to help out." James added quietly.

"Do you have any ideas as to where we can go?"

James frowned, his mind searching. "Kitchens….no….Great Hall…no…too obvious…Forbidden Forest…no one would go there…um…how about the Room of Requirement?"

"The Room of what?" Harry asked.

"Requirement. The Room of Requirement. It's where we practised to become Animagi and where Lily and I shared our first kiss."

"Oh."

"It's on the seventh floor opposite the Barnabas the Barmy tapestry." James explained. "You have to pace three times in front of the wall thinking what you want before the door will appear and admit you into the room."

"Right," Harry said, "I'll check it out. I'll let you know when the first meeting is."

James nodded and then let Harry out of the room. _I've got a bad feeling about this idea of Hermione's. _Something inside him was telling him that it wouldn't go to plan. But whenever it will happen, James had no clue. He had to be content, and wait it out.

**TBC**

**There, a little bit of Remus for those who've been asking about him! Not much, but he will feature heavily in the 'Christmas chapter' which is chapter 23. **

**Thank you's go to the following: **Kim Kotchanski; Dark Angel's Blue Fire; queen-of-monkey-magic; RoschLupin-Black; Jb; xLaceMeWithWindx; monkeycheeks (I'm not a fan of romance but I'll see what I can do!); ambereyes2873; InvisibleA; JTBJAB; Suicidal Bunnies; Manny2003; School-of-Rock101; Tiontah; SugarGirl; Zelina; rcagua; professionaldooropener; faeriekittie306 animelover; me2shae; feltonlover88; supernova8610; missy mee; jamesismine; Harry Potter Gater-girl; HarrysGrrl; PotterScar; rockergurl13; MarauderKid; Loonie Potter; Pure Black; sirius-black-sfan; IamSiriusgrl; Heather; zippyfox; Crazy-Physco; emuerz;Barbossa'sApples; Padfoot's Sidekick (I may get the twins to do some pranking); **and **LittleSqt700 (Thank you for adding me to your favourites and author alert list!).

**duffytheking: **If you don't mind me asking, why do you think James is out of character? I see him as a caring and more mature man then he was when he was a teenager. I'm trying to develop him as my own character as well as trying to keep him in the character that JKRowling gave him out to be. I will try and include more Harry and Sirius interaction, but it might be difficult because of the circumstances they both have to live with. Thank you for your review.

**missy mee: **At some point someone will say something horrible about Lily. You'll have to find out when and who it is. Thank you for your few reviews.

**Harry Rox: **The Weasley twins will pull pranks when they do in the book. Don't worry it is coming. The Department of Mysteries. Well, I have changed (or thinking) of changing the ending so that reviewers don't get upset over Sirius' death. I don't want to kill him, but at the moment, until I've read the sixth book, I can't make up my mind what road I will take. I'm not sure about James' fate either, but he won't die yet. Thank you for the review.

**Smorefan: **Yes, Ron will have the same detention as Harry but we won't hear about it.

**Birchy: **Remus will slowly have a larger role. It is hard to include him into the story as he is absent a lot in the book.

**Insane clutz 4 eva: **Fred and George can do pranks. You'll be hearing more about that later.

**Carriebun: **I'll see what I can do to get James and Sirius more time together. I will be writing from Harry's Point-of-view in the near future. I don't know when but it won't be until around chapter 30 when we get to the end of the OotP plotline. In fact I am following the book and where Umbridge became High Inquisitor was in fact right as I have double checked my facts when planning out the story. I refer to the book quite a lot to help me write each chapter. Thank you for your review.

**FutureGoddess: **I'm glad someone thinks that I made the right choice about the pranks issue. I personally feel that James and Sirius have been through too much to even act childish. I mean, James could, as he's still a very young man, but the child in him is fading rapidly.

**Roxanne: **Thank you for your offer to beta my work. Unfortunately I do not need a beta. I am quite good at omitting most of my mistakes. It's just very rare that someone finds a grammar and spelling mistake. You were very kind to offer though.

**MonkeytoMan: **Thank you for giving my fic a chance. Heh, heh, I don't think Snuffles will be annoying Malfoy, not yet anyway. I haven't explained the reasoning behind James' resurrection yet because it is coming later in the story. It will be explained properly.

**Moi Meep: **I don't have Remus transform into a harmless wolf because the Marauders wanted to go back into the past and relieve their student days. And if he was a harmless wolf he would just sleep.

**RSegovia: **James didn't show Umbridge the memory of Peter becoming Secret Keeper because he didn't have control over which ones he showed. As Fudge is in control of the Ministry, he is making sure James has no influence there so he can't do Ministry tests to prove himself as Fudge won't let him. I hope that clears that up!

**LiLaZnGrLy: **Okay I know I said I don't mind insaneness, but that was too much. And the review didn't make sense either as I couldn't find anything about the chapter in it, which I found quite surprising, but I found out a lot about you. I don't mind, it was quite interesting actually so don't get mad at me for bringing it up. You may not have put what it means but what does AznGrly mean? (Author chuckles) Voldiemoore…I wonder what would happen if Voldiemoore met James Potter, Lily Potter and her twin in battle (can't you write a little scene on that for me?). I hope this chapter meets your expectations!

**magicgirl45852: **Yes, Harry, Gred and Forge do get chucked off the Quidditch team. And yes the twins wreak havoc as well. The DA starts to get together in chapter 20, so its not far off, only two weeks!

**Lunatic Pandora: **Umbridge also uses the Blood Quill on Ron, but I don't mention it in the story.

**Shazia)Riavera: **You may see an argument between James and Harry near the end of the OOTP plot line. And it will be a very big argument…that's if I can work it into the story properly.

**hermioneluver: **Hello! Thank you for the sweet review. I'm glad you are enjoying this story.

**Shinigami: **Gred and Forge will start playing pranks when they do in Book 5 (and at present I can't remember when). I hope this chapter answers your question about James growing up and Padfoot on a leash!

**Lady Taliesin: **Six page essay for English? I've never had to write anything like that! We're usually told to write like 2000 word essays, but I usually go over the limit and write around 4000. Yes, I am a boff. Awww, I hope you feel better soon! My best friend has been really ill for the past few months, and she's been in hospital but the doctors can't find anything wrong with her. It's her nerves. Basically she's making herself ill, but she doesn't think that's it, but I know that is, because she gets nervous when she comes to see me, and then she can't come because she's ill. (She left school last year - and she's two years older then me. she's nearly 20!). Bit complicated. I finally saw her last Thursday and we had a leisurely stroll down to the town where I live (during school time for me - and I wasn't bunking either - I was in my free period (lesson) and got signed out to do research, which I didn't actually do! ) and we had a nice chat and talk and I gave her some advice about controlling her nerves…whether she'll take it or not is another story entirely! Okay I'm rambling, and that was from just the first paragraph of your review! This probably a really stupid question, but what is fencing? I've heard of it, but have no idea what it entails. HAH! Your description of James in Tibetian monk robes was excellent! Heh, heh. Hmmm…I don't quite agree with you that Sirius is snugly. Cute and stubborn, yes, but not snugly. James on the other hand is all three. Yes, James taught DADA as well as being an Auror for a time. You'll learn more about that when Harry goes to his father for Career advice in a later chapter (can't remember what one though!). I couldn't resist making James sarcastic. After all he has got to have some characteristics that identify him as the old James Potter! Otherwise his friends might start to think he is a Death Eater in disguise. Your parents are over-protective? So are mine! I'm very attached to my parents. I'm 17 and I am probably the only student at school who still cuddles and kisses their parents. But then, I think that's probably because of all the problems I had when I was a baby. Being born early made my parents over protective. I'm really small for my age 4 foot 11 and that's my adult height, whereas my parents and older brothers are into 6 foot something. Blurgh…I hate being small. I'm an easy target for bullies as well. So, yeah, my parents are overprotective. In fact I don't want to leave home yet. Sad or what? And I've rambled to much again…Okay I'll look at that art website. Take care!

**Next chapter: **_Educational Decree Number 24! - _in which Umbridge makes another decree; Snape and James have a little chat and a certain Slytherin causes havoc for the Potters!**I won't be able to update this Saturday or Sunday, so I've decided to update late on Friday night (UK time). So you'll get the next chapter a little earlier then expected on the 29th April. **

**Thank you for all the support so far! **

**MissBlackPotter**


	19. Educational Decree Number 24

**I'm posting earlier as I won't be able to on Saturday…but the next update is Saturday 7th May, I think. **

**This chapter is quite short. Not much really happening. I think the only thing interesting is the conversation between James and Draco Malfoy…**

* * *

**Prongs Rides Again**

**Chapter Nineteen: Educational Degree Number Twenty-Four**

On the Monday after the Hogsmeade weekend, James made his way down the Great Hall for breakfast, only to find to his dismay and surprise that Umbridge had proclaimed another Educational Degree. He found a large piece of paper in front of him as he sat down; large black lettering with a highly official-looking seal at the bottom. He sighed as he read through the scroll, his patience with Umbridge now wearing thin.

**BY ORDER OF THE HIGH INQUISITOR OF HOGWARTS**

**All student organisations, societies, teams, groups and clubs are henceforth disbanded. **

**An organisation, society, team, group or club is hereby defined as a regular meeting of three or more students. **

**Permission to re-form may be sought from the High Inquisitor (Professor Umbridge).**

**No student organisation, society, team, group or club may exist without the knowledge and approval of the High Inquisitor. **

**Any student found to have formed, or to belong to, an organisation, society, team, group or club that has not been approved by the High Inquisitor will be expelled. **

**The above is in accordance with Educational Degree Number Twenty-four. **

**Signed: **_Dolores Jane Umbridge, High Inquisitor _

James cast a glance over the Great Hall. His eyes met Harry's for a second and silent communication passed between them. The Defence Club would still go ahead: they would just have to do it secretly.

_How did I know that something like this was likely to happen? _James thought. After all he had expected this. Umbridge happened to have a vice-like grip on Hogwarts, and seemed to know everything.

_Spies. She has to have someone who was in Hogsmeade that overheard about the club. _James frowned. _But who would work for her? _

It was a mystery, James realised, that might possibly never be sold. Thankfully, if she did know something about a Defense Club, she might only know about the existence and nothing about who was participating in it. Hopefully she knew nothing about the Room of Requirement either. As long as that could be kept a secret, there was the possibility of everything running smoothly.

If it was discovered, James had no idea how to hide his involvement in it. He would attend the club but only to help in organising it. He hoped his presence would go unnoticed.

"Professor Potter."

James glanced up from his breakfast and found himself seeing Umbridge, smiling sweetly.

"Yes." James responded, his tone showing the unpleasantness of the situation.

"I trust that you understand Educational Degree Number Twenty-four?"

"Explicitly."

"Good. We can't have our teachers involved in anything illegal, can we?"

_She knows. _"Of course not. I will endeavor to uncover any meetings, clubs, teams or anything of that nature for you."

"I am glad that we have reached a good understanding." Professor Umbridge said, and then turned away, walking to Professor McGonagall to talk to her about the new decree.

* * *

Monday passed in a slow daze. James was sitting in the staff room, alone, enjoying the comfortable peace and quiet that came with it. He glanced up when the door opened and in walked Severus Snape, grumbling muttering about something. 

If he had been younger James would've pulled out his wand and cursed Snape, but the maturity in him, told him not to. He sometimes wished for the simpler days, before war, before his death.

"Bad day?" James asked.

Snape scowled turning his gaze on James. "If you must know, Potter, I just had an inspected lesson."

"Ah."

"Our esteemed High Inquisitor thought it would be best if she knew some little facts about me, mainly about me applying for the Defence Against the Dark Arts position. Very personal questions, which I didn't want students to hear the answers to."

"Who were you teaching?" James asked.

"O.W.L year."

"Harry, then?"

Snape nodded. "Unfortunately."

James scowled. "I wish you would respect Harry instead of hating him for all he is worth."

Snape turned to answer but James stopped him, continuing: "I know its because of me that you hate him. I was an idiot all those years ago. I've changed. If I could change my actions to you, that would be one of them. And do you know why? Because I am ashamed. It was that stupidity that made Lily dislike me for six years. Did you notice that I left you alone in seventh year?"

Snape frowned, not answering. James was right, but as a Slytherin, he held grudges far longer then a Gryffindor ever could. He sighed. "I can't promise, James, but I am trying. Every time I see Pott - Harry - I see you, with your wand raised, about to curse me. I can never forgive you for the stuff you did to me. Maybe my hatred wouldn't be so bad if Harry didn't look exactly like you."

"I can't really help that, can I?" James replied, inclining his head. "I just want the past to be forgotten. I appreciate that you have tried, but Harry doesn't really understand why you hate him and me. I don't think he's ever been told the full truth."

"Then perhaps you should tell him." Snape suggested, his anger abating.

"Maybe I'm waiting for the right moment." James replied.

Silence passed between them.

* * *

"She's banned Quidditch as well?" Sirius objected when James informed him that no house teams could practice as they had been postponed because of the new decree. 

"Until the team captains come up with a plausible excuse as to why they should reform," James sighed, "though I think she's allowed the Slytherin team to reform, as well as Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. I was speaking to Harry earlier. Angelina - the team captain - said to him that Umbridge needed time to consider it before allowing it to reform."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "I suppose she said that because Harry is on the team?"

"That's the impression I get at least." Commented James. "I know I shouldn't say this as she is my colleague, but Umbridge is a right bitch. I can't stand her. I'm even beginning to wonder if she truly is on our side."

"By our side do you mean Fudge's? 'Cause I'm not on his." Sirius remarked, slightly annoyed that James would even suggest that he would be on the Minister's side.

"We'll be on Fudge's side once he gets his head out of the shadows and into the light. Once Voldemort has revealed himself, he will come crawling to Dumbledore. Until then we just have to live with the way the world is run and interpreted by him. Much as I dislike it, I have no desire to get thrown in Azkaban for not agreeing with him."

Sirius shrugged. "I still think banning Quidditch is stupid. And not letting Gryffindor reform because of Harry is preposterous!"

"There's nothing I can do about it, otherwise I would do so. I'd rather stay on Umbridge's good side for as long as I can. The longer I remain here, the better chance I have at protecting Harry. I said dozen of times, I will not leave Harry to face this dark future alone. Not now that I have a second chance." James picked up a book and headed to his door, "Now, if you excuse me, I have to go to the Library."

* * *

"-you're pathetic Potter…running to daddy all the time…" 

The sly voice of a Malfoy attracted James' attention as he made his way to the Library. He paused in his step. There was only one other Potter in this school: Harry. His son. Anger flushed through him. Lucius Malfoy had insulted him dozens of times. He would not have his offspring insult his son.

"In fact, Malfoy, I do not run to my father. I talk to him, since I have not had the chance like you have had with your father." Harry replied, anger evident. "Unlike you, I go to him for advice, whereas you get your father to do your dirty work for you."

"That's a lie." Malfoy sneered.

"You want to bet on it?" Harry asked.

"You wouldn't dare Potter, not with dear daddy around!"

"And who's to say I would care?" James interrupted, stepping round the corner.

Malfoy turned and glared at James. Crabbe and Goyle appeared at his sides.

"What do you want, Potter?" Malfoy asked.

James blinked. "You should not speak to me in that manner, Mr Malfoy."

"You can't tell me what to do. No dead person can."

"Hey-!" Harry began.

"Harry!" James barked.

Harry stopped in his tracks, but allowed his father to intervene.

"If I am dead then how am I here? Living, breathing, touching?" James asked.

"I don't know."

James nodded. "Then therefore we must come to the conclusion that I am alive and no dead person. Understand this Mr Malfoy, anyone who dares insult me or my son about our past will suffer the consequences. Are we clear?"

"Yes." Malfoy growled.

"You may go." James dismissed.

As Draco Malfoy turned to go, he turned back and hissed: "I know who you're hiding! So does my father. You wait Potter, I'll make sure that you lose everyone you've ever cared about! Mark my words!"

Before James could reply, Malfoy had left the hallway. He turned back to Harry. "I'm sorry."

"What for, dad?"

"I'm endangering everyone I care about."

Harry looked puzzled.

"I think he knows about Snuffles." James mumbled.

"Oh," Harry said, "Why not send him back to headquarters?"

"Can't. It would look suspicious. Umbridge would guess and then Malfoy would tell her. I've got to be more careful." James sighed. "Much as I hate that kid, he's got a lot on me. If he knows about Snuffles, then what else could he possibly know that he can use against me to control me?"

Harry shrugged. "Dad, don't be afraid of Malfoy."

"I'm not!"

"I know. He may have guessed but that doesn't mean anyone can do anything about it. If he tells someone who are they going to believe: Slytherin or Gryffindor?"

"Depends on who he tells, if he does." James reminded him.

"Yeah, but I don't think he will tell. He's afraid of you which is why he acts the way he does." Harry explained. "He's just trying to intimidate you."

"I hope you are right, but I will worry about Snuffle's safety. I don't want to lose him."

**TBC**

**Oh….James has really got it bad, hasn't he? **

**Thank you's go to the following people: **RoschLupin-Black; Happyherminchen; Pure Black; Lady Ghost Buster; shannyauburn; FutureGoddess; Gryffindor16; Kill-all-flamers; Lunatic Pandora1; ambereyes2873; Inumara12; Padfoot's Sidekick; Loonie Pooter; Daftlilime; DarkHuntress; angelicmayuka; Dark-Angels-Tears; RosieLady; JTBJAB; MarauderKid; missy mee; HarrysGrrl; InvisibleA; zippyfox; Fairy Blue; IamSiriusgrl; faeriekittie306 animelover; Barbossa'sApples (the next chapter will answer your questions); emuerz; dweem-angel; The Munchkin; Suicidal Bubbles;queen-of-monkey-magic; Eric2; **and **Jb (yes it was meant to be carelessness!).

**Kim Kotchanski: **I hope you don't fail on your dissertation. I hope you get the mark you would like to get. And in relation to my mistake, you are right: I meant to put anonymous but I put unanimous. A silly mistake…Thank you for pointing it out.

**Mage of all Trades: **I just wondered if it was possible for memories to be shown in a cinematic way and as I couldn't find anything like that in the text, I created it and incorporated it into the magical world.

**WriterGirl859: **It's okay that you thought James wasn't rebellious enough, but later on he will start to regain more of his old self. But as he has more responsibilities, I feel that he shouldn't pranking r messing about. He wouldn't be that joyful after all he's been through. Thank you for your review.

**littlewolf-moony: **Yay! You're back…I was wondering where you had got to. I hope you did well in your exams. I've got 2 exams coming up in May/June (thankfully they are the only ones). Hopefully they won't stop me from updating as I'm several chapters ahead of myself at the moment. Thank you for your kind comments on my characterisations. It's nice to hear that they are appreciated. Your comment on Harry being a bit too cheerful was interesting. Basically, Harry is more cheerful because he knows his father is there to help him. He's not alone anymore, so he's happier. I will try and put in some more description. I didn't realise it was becoming too dialoguish. I hope you enjoy London! It is a nice place, lots of things to do and see!

**realpyromaniac: **James is responsible but there are some things he feels are morally right. He believes that there should be a secret DA club, mainly because he knows the truth about Voldemort. I hope that answers your question.

**Jamesismine: **I'm not sure if Sirius will die or not. I'm waiting for the sixth book to be released before I decide. It all depends on what the plot is for the sixth. If I don't kill him, I've got to find a way to fit him into the general story line of book 6.

**Supernova8610: **As with the response above, I will only decide if Sirius will die, if I can't fit him into the story for book 6. Not long to wait till I do make a decision though!

**Melian Maia: **Awww, your 4'11, the same as me. If you don't mind me asking, but did you have something wrong with you when you were born? Because that is the main reason why I'm so short. It is rather annoying when you are in Year 12 at school and the youngest year (year 7) are taller then you. Thank you for your comments!

**xLaceMeWithWindx:** Thank you for your kind comments on my portrayal of James and Draco!

**magicgirl45852: **Well, at the moment Sirius doesn't get thrown in Azkaban again, though there is still a possibility of that happening. I hope this chapter answered your questions about Draco sneaking around and what he does to cause havoc!

**LiLaZnGrLy: **Hmmm, so that's what the AznGrly stands for…interesting. And the Voldemoore scene was hilarious. Pity that you killed Lily and James…oh well…it was funny. I hope this chapter answered what Draco (the slimeball did) That's a very good point about the carefulness/carelessness. Why didn't I see that? Another unnecessary mistake! And another typo! DOH! And how did I manage to leave out the 'G' in Hogsmeade? I swear I pressed the 'G'…probably didn't register the letter. As I live in the UK I have school up until July the 20th and then I break up till September. I just had a long holiday for Easter. I play Badminton but I don't play any instruments. I can't play an instrument to save my life (though I'd certainly try if there was a case for it). I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

**Lady Taliesin: **Oh, you really have a thing for Remus, don't you? Maybe I should draw picture of you and Remus (I'd send it to you, if I had a scanner!) Now your brother and his pigeon calendar is disturbing…no more! Yep, I have watched Pirates of the Caribbean. Excellent film…so that's fencing, with the masks…sounds really interesting. Heh, heh, yes, I am very small. I'm the smallest sixth former at school, with year 7's (11year olds) who are bigger then me. They think I'm a year 7! None believe I'm 17. I have to have an ID card to get into 15 rated films and everything…it frustrates me! But I'm small mainly because of all my problems as a baby. There's too many to list here, if you're interested. Onto the actual review now…hmmm Padfoot in black leather…(author drools - not really, but you get what I mean!) Now that's a good idea with Sirius and James posing as one another…just one thing, if they used Polyjuice Potion, and James went to class as Sirius, he would not be able to transform into a dog, and it might look suspicious if his pet didn't turn up, as students are used to him. But that is a good idea. Maybe I could write a one-shot on it…or maybe you could as it's your idea? I loved those two scenes - especially the little bunnies with specs. In fact I could imagine that…I have a really weird imagination, especially when someone writes a really weird scenario…Excellent! Thank you for pointing out the spelling! You're about the tenth person who really doesn't like the fact the Draco knows about Padfoot. Interesting reactions. Don't worry, since Remus isn't a Professor, Draco can't get him in trouble, but with James he can. Actually, if James was found helping the DA, the most that could happen is that Umbridge could get him convicted for conspiring against the Minister and have him arrested (which is what nearly happens to Dumbledore in Book 5). James will be getting his Marauderish attitude back, eventually. He's slowly becoming the rebel again. (SPOILER) I tell you when Umbridge finally uncovers our canine friend…the old James will return…(I probably shouldn't have said) (END OF SPOILER) I'm glad you like my Draco! Sorry I haven't been in touch, but I've been really upset over something at school and I haven't really wanted to speak to anyone about it. But you can e-mail the Ron POV if you want. I haven't done anymore yet. Last weekend I wrote Chapter 22 which is entitled Hagrid's Tale, and that was 18 pages! My longest yet, so I've been really busy. Hmmm, I couldn't find those Draco stories you told me about. I searched title and author and couldn't find them. I'm interested in reading them though. And I did check out the art sites you told me about. Some really good ones too. Maleficium was the best, I think. Fantastic. And now this reply has got way too long. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

**Next chapter: The First Meeting **- in which James attends the first DA meeting. This is a very short chapter.

**Thank you for reading!**

**MissBlackPotter**


	20. The First Meeting

**First, I would like to apologise for the exceedingly short chapter, but I can tell you that chapter twenty-two is eighteen pages, so hopefully that should make up for the shorter chapters that I have recently been putting up. **

* * *

**Prongs Rides Again**

**Chapter Twenty: The First Meeting**

The first meeting of the DA club soon approached. With James' guidance and help, Harry, Ron and Hermione succeeded in informing everyone who was interested in the D.A club. James and Harry had spent the last few nights going over a list of spells and hexes that the students should learn about.

At seven-o-clock on the night of the first meeting, James left Sirius alone in his quarters, and proceeded to the seventh floor. He met with Harry, Ron and Hermione as he walked up the stairs. He flashed a grin.

Reaching the stretch of wall where the Room of Requirement was, Harry stepped forward and began pacing, his hand on his chin, and eyes squeezed shut as he concentrated on the place that he wanted the room to provide.

James kept his fingers cross, wishing that it would turn out all right. The door appeared and Harry exchanged glances with his father before summoning up the courage to step forward and see what was inside.

Placing his fingers on the handle he turned it and stepped inside.

James followed, holding his breath.

It had worked.

The room had transformed. There was enough room to practice, and what was more, was the fact that the room was very spacious, with enough room to manoeuvre and practice the spells that he and Harry had gone over only the night before.

"It certainly fits what we need." Hermione pointed out, picking up a Sneakoscope, which was laying on a cabinet with various other instruments that dealt with the Dark Arts.

James agreed. "Definitely. There is more then enough room, and all of these books will help us to."

Harry walked up to the bookcase that lined the walls. He frowned, reading the titles. Picking one up, he brushed the dust from the cover and read the title aloud: "'How to Defend When Darkness Blocks Your Path' by Kacey Gorgan."

"Who'd write a book about that?" Ron asked, dumbfounded by the obscure title.

"Kacey Gorgan was a respected writer in the fifteen hundreds." James said, remembering Remus' history notes from sixth year. "You haven't learnt about her yet. You will, only if you take History of Magic for N.E.W.T. Moony did which is why I remember it. I had to test him before the end of year exams and he told me a lot about Kacey Gorgan and her amazing life."

"What exactly does the book entail?" Harry asked.

"I've never read it but my guess would be is how to defend oneself when faced with a dark wizard. That is what the title implies." James answered.

Harry shrugged and put the book back on its shelf. As he did so there was a knock on the door and it opened, admitting Ginny, Neville, Lavender, Parvati and Dean.

"Whoa!" Dean said, amazement in his eyes as he took in the practice area. "This place is amazing!"

More people arrived before anyone could answer and soon the whole room had filled up with the required students that had wanted to attend.

James remained unnoticed, standing comfortably in the corner, watching and waiting.

Harry began to explain the process of what they would go through, listing the various spells and jinxes they would be working on.

Hermione raised her hand, mid-way through Harry's speech, asking him about electing a leader (which everyone agreed Harry should be) and then she asked about a name for the club, in which resorted in a debate of names being called out from different people.

"Anti-Umbridge League?" Angelina asked.

"What about the Ministry of Magic Are Morons Group?" Fred suggested.

It was a pretty, young Ravenclaw who picked the winning name.

"The Defence Association?" Cho asked. "Only the DA for short, so nobody knows what we are talking about?"

Ginny agreed. "Yeah, the DA's good. But lets make it stand for Dumbledore's Army instead, as that is what the Ministry fears the most, right?"

Laughter echoed round the room, and James grinned slightly, appreciating the irony.

"What do you think, dad?" Harry asked, turning to James. "The DA good?"

James stepped forward so that the students could see him properly. Silence reigned. None of them had even noticed his presence. Horror seemed to be written across their faces.

"You let a Professor know?" Zacharias Smith demanded.

"He isn't just any Professor." Harry growled. "He is my dad!"

James swallowed. "I think this club is a good idea. I support it. I was the one who told Harry where this place is. I'm not going to run off and snitch on you lot. You need a good defense education. I am here to make sure you do it right and to aid any of you in any help that you may need. You're fighting for a cause: to help defeat Voldemort, the one Wizard who took away the love of my life. My Lily. Why would I aid the Ministry when they won't even believe what I say? They won't even believe in what my son says, so why would they believe me?"

"Because you were once a famous Wizard." A Hufflepuff answered.

James shook his head. "Once a famous Wizard. No more. All I am is a disillusioned man who believes he is James Potter. If I am not James Potter where did I get those memories from? I know you have doubts over me, but I am who I say I am. I never lie. I don't want to hurt the people I care most about."

"I believe you." Neville Longbottom ventured.

Gradually the room filled with people's answers. Even though it was impossible that someone could come back to life, the students were willing to believe it. James' voice had convinced them of that. No man would have so much emotion if they didn't care, and anyone could see that James held so much bottled up inside him, it was impossible to dismiss his claims. Though they had never known him, they were willing to believe, and it was this that James felt hope blossoming inside him. If he could convince fifteen year olds, it was possible he could redeem himself in front of the Wizarding World.

It gave him something to work towards.

He smiled. "I do agree with name of the club. Dumbledore's Army is acceptable."

Hermione beamed and passed the motion. She wrote it at the top of a piece of paper.

Harry clapped his hands and began the first lesson of the DA.

* * *

It was nine-o-clock before the DA members made there way back to their common rooms. James had kept an eye on the time, knowing full well that if they ran over, they could be caught by Filch and punished. If that happened, it was likely that Umbridge would suspect something was going on. 

Once everyone was gone James turned to Harry. "Congratulations. You did a great job, especially teaching them how to cast the Disarming Spell properly."

Harry blushed. It was not everyday that his father praised him. "Thanks dad, but you know, I have found that spell quite useful in the past."

"So have I and so has your mother." James remembered. "A simple, but rather effective spell. If you know how to use it properly, you should have no properly fighting Voldemort. If you can disarm him, it will work well in your favour. Only if you can disarm him though. It's pretty hard, but if you get the aim right, you should be able to do it."

"We'd better go," Hermione said glancing at her watch.

"Right." Harry nodded.

Gathering the Marauders Map he checked it to make sure there was no teachers around and then with Ron and Hermione exited the room and went back to Gryffindor Tower.

James took one last glance round the room, and then he too, left, and headed back to his rooms.

**TBC**

**I hope that wasn't too disappointing…I'm not entirely sure about this chapter. Can I improve it in anyway? **

**Thank you's go to the following people: **Padfoot's Sidekick; ambereyes2873; thinkingpink; none; spiritualfantasy (yes, I live in the UK); RainingInsanity; MonkeytoMan; Frisbee400; Eric2; PrincessSkywalkerOrgana; xLaceMeWithWindx; Loonie Potter; prongspadfoot2003; Dark Angel's Blue Fire; emuerz; faeriekittie306 animielover; Lilac; Jb; Sirius-Black-SFan; supernova8610; HarryxJames; shadow08; MarauderKid; School-of-Rock101; IamSiriusgrl; Inumaru12; Daftlilme; Padfoot Reincarnated; Crazy-Physco; Suicidal Bunnies; missy mee; zippyfox; Lunatic Pandora1; Pure Black; RoschLupin-Black; queen-of-monkey-magic; shannyauburn; The Munchkin; RSegovia; Jojo;

**realpyromaniac: **I live in the UK. Thanks for the review!

**RSegovia: **It's okay about your nitpicks. It gives me something to think about, however I am changing my opinion about James and Sirius not playing Pranks. They are there to protect Harry, not to have fun. They are now grownups and have responsibilities, and I just don't see them doing that. They will play some pranks in the future…I can promise you that. It just won't happen yet. Thank you for your reviews.

**magicgirl45852: **Well, this chapter was shorter, but chapter 22 is longer, much longer, and I'm working on making chapter 23 long as well. Hopefully I will get back to my normal length for chapters in the near future. With updates, it will be once a week at least until the start of the summer holidays (which for me start around July 23rd, as I live in the UK, that is when our schools break up). Hopefully (fingers crossed) I should be able to update twice a week from August. Thanks for the review!

**littlewolf-moony: **No…I don't think your that bad. The personality test was wrong. I see you more as a Ron/Harry person based on your reviews. When I took a Marauder HP test it came up with Wormtail, and then Padfoot! So, who am I? Don't feel too scared about your exams for next year. I've got mine in a few weeks and they determine whether I can stay on the courses that I am studying, but then I am dropping them to take up something else, so really, what exactly is the point of me taking these exams if I'm dropping the subjects? Very odd but I suppose I should complete half the course. Heh, heh.

**amrawo: **I think the no original works means that if you have created everything in that story, eg. Characters, places, situations then you are not allowed to put it on the site, as it is not fanfiction. The other fanfiction site is for that stuff. An example of original fiction would be Harry Potter when it was first released. It was new; different and original, based on many other ideas put together. What we as authors are doing, is fanfiction, expanding on the world that Rowling created for us. That, what I believe, is what original and fanfiction writings entail.

**HarrysGrrl: **You read my SPOILER? For shame on you…oh well…I don't mind. There are certain plot points that I don't mind giving away, but others I can't. As I am roughly following the OOTP plot, Harry and Hermione will lead Umbridge into the forest, however James will not be with them, so I won't add this part into the story. You'll hear about it but not read it. Only the scenes with James in are rewritten to be incorporated into the story.

**Lady Taliesin: **Yeah! You reviewed! Good thing I checked my emails before posting this chapter! I'll see if I can draw a picture of you and Remus together…don't know where I'll scan it in though…might take a while, but I'll give it a shot. I'll have a look for those stories on that site. Yep, Umbridge knows about the DA even before it's started, but then she did in the book, but didn't act upon it. Or that's what I got from it. Eh. You really don't like that ferret do you? But then Malfoy is good as a Ferret. I wonder if that is what his Animagus form would be? Yep, Blair won the election again! ARRRGH! I was just a few months too young to vote. Oh well, next time I will be able to vote. And yes, I will read your story. Just send it along. I am not busy…save for writing this story and playing on my PS2 with my new Star Wars Episode 3 game which I've sort of nearly completed. I'm kind of a bit on the dark side now (I'm more into Star Wars at the moment, but HP is not far behind). Thanks for the review!

**Thank you for all the wonderful reviews! **

**Next chapter: **The Unfair Punishment - in which Harry play Quidditch and Umbridge delivers a punishment to Harry and the twins…**coming, hopefully next weekend!**

**Bye for now,**

**MissBlackPotter**


	21. The Unfair Punishment

**Well, here is a longer chapter for you readers! The next chapter is very long…details at the bottom. **

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Weasley is Our king song.**

**Prongs Rides Again**

**Chapter Twenty-One: The Unfair Punishment**

Two weeks after the first DA meeting, James arrived at the Room of Requirement to find Hermione handing out gold coins to everyone. Upon inspection he found that she had cleverly enchanted the coins to reveal the date and time of the next meeting, so that everyone who was in the DA, would be aware of when to come to the Room of Requirement.

James was impressed with Hermione's skill, and proudly told her that she would've given Lily a run for her money. Hermione felt awed and respected. Being compared to his dead wife was a great honour for her. In fact, James even said that she reminded him a lot of Lily in her personality. No one had ever said something as nice as that before to Hermione.

The students had improved with their basic spell work since beginning the DA. James had been surprised by the amount of work Neville Longbottom was putting in to master every spell. He was proving to be a miracle worker. Though he still lacked confidence in his lessons, Neville shone out in the DA club, proving for once, that he was not a total klutz after all.

As the Quidditch season drew further closer, the DA club was soon put on hold, as tension between Gryffindor and Slytherin rose. With both teams working hard to outscore one another, none of the Gryffindor DA students found time to practice or go to the meetings.

As the first match drew closer, Gryffindor and Slytherin students frequently occupied the hospital wing. James found himself keeping a look out for any student that dared use magic to harm another, something that he had never taken notice of when he was younger. If anything, James was the one who was most likely to catch trouble brewing in the corridors.

His sharp hazel eyes, honed from experience as an Auror, proved an asset to hunting out potential students who were on the verge of casting a spell within the corridors. Naturally, he sent Sirius to sniff out trouble, who did not mind doing so as it got him out on his own, though he was under the condition that he didn't transform and reveal himself to the student body. It was the combined efforts of James, Sirius and McGonagall that stopped most accidents from occurring, therefore reducing the number of people who were sent to the hospital wing.

The day of the first match of the season arrived, cold but bright.

James made his way down to the entrance hall, excitement evident in the air, by the buzz of voices coming from the great hall. Searching through the hall, he sought out Harry, who was sitting at the Gryffindor table, urging his friend Ron to eat.

As the new goalkeeper, Ron was equally nervous, as he had never played before in a match, and the fact that he knew he couldn't play that well, lowered his self esteem, therefore making him feel nervous and ill to the stomach. He only hoped he played to a good standard, preventing the Slytherins from winning.

"…lousy! I can't play to save my life. What was I thinking?" Ron moaned, putting his head in his hands.

James smiled. He decided to offer some advice. "Don't be afraid. I'm sure you'll play well. I didn't eat a thing on the day of my first match, but I put my mind at ease by thinking of the team, and what contribution I could put to us winning the cup."

"Yeah, but you don't drop the Quaffle when you try to catch it." Ron grumbled.

"I was a chaser…and I did drop it…several times. I nearly lost the game, but then I managed to correct my errors." James explained.

"Lucky you. I won't be so fortunate." Ron replied, nastily.

Harry glanced at James. "You're not helping, dad."

"I can see that."

"I think you'd better leave."

James nodded. "Yeah, okay." He turned to go. "Good luck, both of you. I'll be watching."

As he walked over to the staff table, he noticed Luna Lovegood, the weird Ravenclaw slink over to the Gryffindor table and converse with Harry and Ron. James shook his head. He was looking forward to seeing a Quidditch match. He wished that he could be playing. Perhaps one day he would be. If the war ended and he was still alive, then he was considering taking up professional Quidditch.

After all he still had the body of a twenty-one year old. He would be able to have a good season before he was too old to play, but then that dream depended on how old he was when Voldemort was finally defeated. For all he knew it could be going on for another thirty years.

Pushing those thoughts out of his head James sat at the staff table and ate his breakfast, watching intently as Harry and Ron made their way out of the hall to head to the changing rooms.

* * *

James and Professor McGonagall arrived at the teachers box together, having left the hall at the same time. They decided to sit together to give each other moral support. As James was not a head of house he couldn't really take any sides, but having once been a Gryffindor, he wanted his son to succeed. 

"Excited?"

"Huh?" James turned to look at McGonagall.

"Are you excited to see a match?"

"Yeah," James replied, "I haven't seen one since….1980, just before Harry was born." He sighed. "I wish I could be out there today. Is he good? Harry, I mean?"

"Your son has definitely inherited your skills James. A superb Quidditch player, and would have a career in the sport if he wished. You should be proud of him. Even without you, Harry has grown into a very capable Wizard, much like yourself."

James beamed. "He reminds me so much of Lily. He looks like me, yes, but Lily resides in his personality." He bowed his head.

"What is it, James?" McGonagall asked, seeing James bow his head in grief.

He swallowed, finding it difficult to find words. "I remember the night that I died. My last thoughts were of my wife and my son. I knew then that I would never have a chance to see this, and that Harry would grow up without know his dad. Whenever I see Harry I imagine Lily staring out of his eyes, as if she's trying to tell me something. I've held on for so long because of Harry. He's the only thing keeping me going. If Lily was here, my life would truly be complete, but she can't."

"She is here."

"How? She's gone, forever."

"Lily's memory resides in you James. Lily is alive in Harry, and her spirit burns brighter whenever you are nearby. Lily may be gone from physical form, but she remains in this world, through your own memories and that of your son. Harry is the last link to your past. Lily will always be there to guide you, James."

James smiled faintly. "I know. It's just so hard to live without her. You didn't know her as well as I got to. She was a wonderful person. Her death shouldn't have come so soon. She deserved the life that I have now. If I could do anything, I would swap places with her, so that Harry could know his mother. A child, after all, needs their mother's protection."

"And that is exactly what Harry has. Lily's sacrifice enabled him to survive the killing curse. If she was brought back that protection that lives in Harry would fade and he would be vulnerable. You died protecting both of them, but Lily sacrificed her future for her son. That is the mark of love. James, I know its difficult to comprehend, but Lily will never return to this world again. Her spirit has passed on. Yet she continues to live through your memory and through the personality that Harry has."

"You don't know how much this talk means to me. Thank you." James said.

"It was my pleasure James. It is nice to help you."

Silence fell between them. In all his life, James had never thought that McGonagall could ever help him with his grief, and yet, she had in more ways then one. As he looked out into the Quidditch Pitch he caught sight of Harry and the Gryffindor team walking onto the field. His old Transfiguration teacher was right: Lily did burn brightly in Harry. Even from afar he could tell his son was determined to win this match in anyway that was plausible to his character. Just like Lily would've been in other situations.

The captains shook hands, and in the sunlight, James could see the sparkling of a badge on the Slytherin robes. _That can't be good. _James thought. He wondered what they said, and he made a note of it to ask Harry later.

The whistle was blown and the match began, as the various balls (Quaffle, Bludgers and Golden Snitch) entered the game and soured off into different directions.

James' eyes followed his sons movements. He had never seen him fly and it had always been one of the things he had always wanted to do. When Harry had been born, James had wanted to teach him who to fly and play Quidditch, but it seemed that his son had received that tuition elsewhere. That was one of the many things that he had missed.

Suddenly a chorus of singing erupted from the Slytherin supporters. Lee Jordan's commentary of the match stopped as he strained to listen as to what was being sung. As the words came clearer, James felt his blood boil and anger rose from the pit of his stomach to engulf him whole.

'_Weasley cannot save a thing,_

_He cannot block a single ring,_

_That's why Slytherins all sing;_

_Weasley is our King._

'_Weasley was born in a bin_

_He always lets the Quaffle in_

_Weasley will make sure we win_

_Weasley is our King.' _

James turned his attention back to the game, seeking to drown out the cruel song. His eyes found Ron Weasley, guarding the goal hoops, and as he dived to catch the Quaffle, shot by Slytherin chaser, Warrington, he missed by inches and the ball zoomed through the central hoop.

Slytherin was ten points ahead, and James could see (and tell) that Ron's self-esteem was even lower then before. He had lost confidence even before the game had started. The awful song erupted louder then before.

James groaned. _"Come on Ron. You can do it. I believe in you." _James whispered.

* * *

Harry was circling the pitch, searching fervently for any sign of the Snitch. He could find nothing. Malfoy flew past him, singing that dreadful song. Harry turned to the teachers stands and spotted James. His mouth was moving, as if he was speaking to him, but he knew he wasn't. 

_Come on Ron. You can do it. I believe in you. _

Those words echoed into his consciousness. He hadn't thought them, so where had they come from? And then he realised. Somehow there was a deep connection between him and his father, and certain thoughts seemed to cross between them. He didn't know how this had come about, but Harry did not care. Instead he swerved in his broom and raced towards Ron, screaming at the top of his lungs: "Come on Ron! You can do it! We believe in you!"

And Harry did believe in it. He believed his best friend had the ability to be an excellent keeper. He just needed the encouragement.

And as he pulled back on his broom, slowing down, Harry sensed a change in Ron. His face changed from nervousness to determination. He leaned forward on his broom, ready.

* * *

"Come on Ron! You can do it! We believe in you!" 

Those words changed Ron's heart. Determination to win the game filled his body. He gazed out into the pitch and saw Harry shouting those words to him, and his heart lifted, as he realised that someone did believe in him, but then he noticed the 'we' in the sentence. Someone else believed in him as well.

Casting his gaze over the field he caught sight of James Potter next to Professor McGonagall, his eyes filled with luck and hope. Looking over at the Gryffindors he saw his fellow fifth years cheering him on, and he made up his mind. Forgetting everything, he waited, leaning forward, and watching the game with absolute precision.

* * *

Slytherin were now thirty points ahead of Gryffindor, who had managed to score ten points. Even after his encouragement, James had watched intently as Ron made some spectacular dives to halt the Quaffle, but each time he failed, however his determination seemed to grow more. 

As the Slytherin Chasers zoomed towards the goal again, James caught sight of Harry and Malfoy diving to the ground, a golden Snitch flying between them. Both of them were fighting to grab it.

Seconds ticked by…

…and Gryffindor was victorious, as Harry caught the struggling ball in his firm grip. James grinned, knowing full well that Ron hadn't played as abysmally as he thought he was going to. He had certainly improved after James' and Harry's initial encouragement.

As James caught his son's eye, a Bludger found its mark squarely in the back of Harry's back, and he fell forwards off his broom. Thankfully he was only five feet from the ground and James watched as Angelina helped him to his feet. He breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't want anything bad to happen to his son.

And then something drastic happened. As James watched he saw Draco Malfoy land near Harry and begin to speak to him. After only a few words, James could tell that what he said had been insulting, and this caused the Weasley twins to move forward only to be pulled back by Harry and the Chasers.

Sensing trouble James quickly pushed his way through the teachers and down onto the pitch. He pulled out his wand and ran quickly towards the impending fight, hoping to stop Harry from doing anything stupid.

"Or perhaps, you can remember what your mother's house stank like, Potter, and Weasley's pigsty reminds you of it -" Malfoy sneered.

James halted in his tracks, his anger suddenly boiling. Mother. Harry's mother. Lily. Malfoy - that Slytherin git - was insulting his loved one. No longer did he care. James bounded forward, pushing students out the way, intent on hitting the little worm himself.

He raised his wand ready to curse Malfoy to a million pieces when he noticed Harry about to hit Malfoy himself. He couldn't hurt Malfoy for fear of being sent away. Rushing forward, he grabbed Harry's arm and pushed it away from Malfoy, just before his son could hit him.

"Don't."

There was turmoil in James's eyes. No matter how much he wanted to hurt Malfoy, he knew he couldn't. Doing so would prove he was no better at keeping his anger then a normal teenager. Lily may have been insulted, but he knew she wouldn't approve of him hitting a helpless fifteen year old, even if it was a Slytherin that had insulted her.

She had at least taught him that much.

"How can you say that, dad?" Harry demanded. "He deserves it!"

"Maybe, but he will get his comeuppance someday."

Hands released James and his son made no move.

George Weasley on the other hand had made short work of Malfoy in Harry's absence and had hit the boy in the face, shattering his nose.

The rest of the Gryffindor team was not holding him back, as they were trying to stop Fred from lunging forward as well.

Then Malfoy decided to open his mouth again. "Eh, scared Potter? Scared of what daddy will do to you? I'm sure your Mudblood mother wouldn't have minded, but then she's not here now is she. A good thing to. We don't want scum like that walking this earth."

Harry did not care about the consequences. Leaping forward he hit Malfoy as hard as he could in his stomach, sending him crashing to the ground.

"Harry! NO!" James shouted, struggling to pull Harry away.

Pointing his wand he shouted 'Impedimenta!' and Harry flew backwards. James stood in front of him.

Over the whisperings of the crowd, Madam Hooch blew her whistle and shouted: "I've never seen behaviour like it - back to the castle, both of you, and straight to your Head of House's office! Go, now!"

James helped Harry to his feet and escorted Harry and George back to the castle and to McGonagall's office. His son was in it deep now.

* * *

"Bloody Umbridge and her stupid degrees!" James slammed his hand down on his office desk. "Stupid Fudge and his campaign! Bloody Malfoy and his insults. God, I hate it! Hate it! HATE IT!" 

"What's got you so wound up?" Sirius asked watching as his friend went round throwing books into their respective places, not caring if they fell on the floor afterwards.

"That stupid BITCH! And her STUPID EDUCATIONAL DEGREES! UGH!"

He sank into a chair and sighed, running a hand over his face, calming himself down before he spoke. He told Sirius everything about the Quidditch match (how he had encouraged Ron somehow; how Harry had won the match; and how Malfoy had insulted Lily and the Weasley's). Once he was done he told him what had happened in McGonagall's office.

"…and then she came along. Umbridge. She claimed that she could help with the situation, even though I think Minerva handled it rather well. A weeks worth of detentions is quite a good punishment, especially with what Harry and George did. But no that wasn't enough for Umbridge. She produced _another _Educational Degree, proclaiming that she had authority to strip pupil's of privileges, so she is now able to have _supreme authority _over all punishments, sanctions and anything else that may have been ordered by other members of staff."

"So what did she do? It wasn't expulsion."

"No, thankfully," James said, "but if you're fan of Quidditch then I think expulsion would be better. She's banned Harry, George and Fred from Quidditch for life."

"Life?" Sirius asked, "She can't do that! There's no way she can stop Harry from playing Quidditch once he's left Hogwarts!"

"Apparently there is. I'm just hoping that once Fudge gets his brains in gear he will proclaim anything Umbridge has set invalid, therefore allowing Harry to play again. But I doubt that will happen."

"I'm sure things will work out in the end." Sirius explained. "We just have to be patient."

"I would expect Remus to say something like that, not you."

"Yeah well, I've changed. I'm more responsible now."

James stifled a laugh. "There is no way that you would ever be sensible!"

"Thanks for the encouragement." Sirius replied sarcastically, as if he was hurt by James' accusation.

James shook his head. "I swear I won't be able to keep my temper from exploding. If that Umbridge dares to do anything else that hurts anyone that I love, I will not be held responsible for my actions. I don't know how much more I can take of this."

* * *

**Dear James, **

**I would like you to go to Hagrid's hut this evening. He has returned from a long journey. I have informed him of your return and he would very much like to see you. Snuffles is also welcome to join you if you wish. Hagrid has got a tale he would like to share with you. It concerns the giants and their involvement in this war. **

**Yours Sincerely **

**Albus P.W.B Dumbledore**

James folded the letter up. "I'm going out to see Hagrid. You can come if you want." He threw over his shoulder to Sirius.

His friend immediately transformed. It was just before eleven-o-clock and most students would be in bed. Slipping out the castle would be easy.

With Sirius at his side in his animagus form, James made his way out the castle and towards Hagrid's hut.

**TBC**

**Heh, heh, so James helped Ron, and Harry has a connection to his father…how you might ask…I'm not telling, not yet anyway…**

**Thank you's go to the following: **ambereyes2873; nogoalielikeme; RoschLupin-Black; selina; Lunatic Pandora1; magicgirl45852; RainingInsanity; aalikane; Crazy-Physco; JTBJAB; tweets; Eric2; amrawo; Padfoot's Sidekick; shadow08; lilac; supernova8610; School-of-Rock101; xLaceMeWithWindx; queenofdakittys; Shalaren; Loonie Potter; Dark Angel's Blue Fire; HarryxJames; Sirius-BlackSFan; Daftlime; missy mee; IamSiriusgrl; HarrysGrrl; zippyfox; Suicidal Bunnies; faeriekittie306animielover; **and **emuerz.

**Responses:**

**realpyromaniac:** please don't envy me for living in the UK…why do you want to live here for? I'd rather live in the states where its nice and hot most of the year…

**littlewolf-moony: **Once again I overlook those little mistakes. Silly me. Thank you for pointing them out! Yeah, about James rambling a lot, that's mainly because I do that and I am trying to incorporate a bit of me into the character so I can associate myself with him a bit more and understand him better. But James is still in the recovery process as well, so there are a lot of moments where he goes on about Lily. That's how my mother recovered when her dad died, so I'm basing that on situations that I've seen and heard about as well. Ahhh, you think of me as a James/Sirius person….thanks! I'll try and do well in my exams. Just started revising in lessons and the first exam is less then two weeks away….I'm not that worried. Though I'm not smart I know I'm good at the subject so that if I fail the exam my coursework is above average, as I've had the top marks in all my coursework so far so that is something that I know will help me pass the subject. My name has already been in the UK paper, though not a main one, and it is really embarrassing…I hope you liked this chapter!

**Lady Taliesin: **I must say I really enjoyed that first chapter…I eagerly await the next lot! Yep, I'm serious about drawing a picture of Remus and you, but it might have to take a while though with exams coming up and me trying to tie this story up for the Harry Potter 6 book and trying to incorporate it into the next book…as well as deciding whether I will drop my a-level courses to start new ones and there is also the problem that I don't own a scanner that is compatible with the Internet computer. I'll draw a picture during the summer holidays, hopefully! So don't expect anything until September. Heh, heh, soccar, maybe you should sue the team that cheated saying the the referee was showing favouritism. Ah, the reason James didn't bring Sirius along to the DA was mainly because he wanted to spend sometime with the students without him, and also Sirius would just be laying there bored, whereas in James' office he can at least look at the student's work and read the Daily Prophet…The spelling of maneuver is different from the american version. I used the UK (or the one that came up on my computer) version. Ahhh and Kacey, yeah you can use that name if you want. I don't mind. Okay, that image of James is just too nice to pass up. I might even draw a picture of that! I'm glad you like the twins and Ginny! Really hard to write about they are! I hope you liked this chapter!

**Coming next week: **James hears Hagrid's Tale (which is why the chapter is so long but it has been modified to fit James and Sirius into it).

**Thank you,**

**MissBlackPotter**


	22. Hagrid's Tale

**Okay, this chapter has been posted early for a very good reason: today is the release of Star Wars Episode 3 Revenge of the Sith! And I have seen it. My parents treated me to the first ever showing at our local cinema this morning at 9:30, which also meant I had the morning off from school as well…FANTASTIC ending to the Star Wars saga. **

**Because of its release, I thought my reviewers should have a treat as well, so I thought I'd update a little earlier, though I won't update this Saturday, but the Saturday after. **

**Enjoy! And make sure that if you are interested in seeing how Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader, then see Episode 3. Believe me, it brought tears to my own eyes…**

**Okay, enough of Star Wars, and onto Harry Potter…Here it is Hagrid's Tale! **

* * *

**Prongs Rides Again**

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Hagrid Returns**

James raised a fist and knocked hard on the wooden door. From inside came the sounds of barking and the scuffle of large feet, rushing to open the door. James tensed, wondering what Hagrid would say when he saw him. After all, the last time that the gamekeeper had seen James alive was about a month before his death. It had probably been a big shock when he had been told about his return. But then so had everyone else.

"I'm comin'" he heard Hagrid shout from within his hut.

"This is it, mate." James whispered to the dog at his side. Sirius wined in response.

The door opened and Hagrid's head appeared.

James stepped back as Hagrid came into view. He gasped. Speechless, he just gaped at the sight of the gamekeeper.

Hagrid's face was covered in bruises and cuts; a black eye had reduced his left one to a puffy slit. Dried blood covered the top of his hair, and it was obvious from the looks of things that Hagrid had only just returned from his little venture, wherever that had been.

"Come in, James." Hagrid said, looking a bit in awe of James. "You too, Sirius."

Hagrid closed the door as soon as they had stepped into his hut, and Sirius immediately transformed, proclaiming: "What the heck happened to you?"

James elbowed his friend in the side. "Now that's not very polite." He whispered. Sirius sighed. James focused his hazel gaze on the gamekeeper. "I gather your mission went well?" Though he had no actual proof that Hagrid had been on a mission, the nature of Dumbledore's letter suggested that he had been doing something for the Order. That had kept him way from Hogwarts far longer then Dumbledore had possibly wanted him to.

Hagrid leaned over and picked up a piece of meat, which James instantly recognised as dragon's meat. Before he could say anything, Hagrid had slapped it over the left side of his face. From his Care of Magical Creature classes James knew that Hagrid was doing that to ease the stinging. He didn't require an explanation.

As James was about to ask about Hagrid's mission, their came another knock at the door. Then a familiar voice sounded.

"Hagrid! It's us!"

James rolled his eyes. He'd had no clue that Harry was close to the gamekeeper, but obviously he was. Hagrid moved forward, the steak still pressed to his eye. He opened the door, and a shrill, female scream echoed out.

Hermione.

"I'm sorry, Hagrid…it's just that…" the voice trailed off as Hagrid moved to the side to let them.

The trio of friends walked into the hut and settled themselves onto stools. It was only then did Harry notice James and Sirius sitting there as well.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

James grinned. "Same reason you are, I expect, to find out what Hagrid's been up to."

Hagrid grunted. "Fortunately only your father has been authorised ter hear what I've got ter say, and while you're 'ere Harry, I can't say nothin'."

"Why not?" Harry asked, clearly annoyed that he wasn't trusted. After all Hagrid was his friend. He deserved to know. "You've been somewhere dangerous. You're hurt."

Hagrid shuffled uncomfortably.

"It's for the Order, Harry," James spoke up, "you can't know about this."

"You want looking for the giants, didn't you, Hagrid?" Hermione asked, standing up and facing the half-man, half-giant, with her stare.

James waited with baited breath. How would Hagrid take this?

"Giants? Who said anythin' abou' giants? Who yeh bin talkin' to? Who's told yeh what I've - who's said I've bin - eh?"

"We guessed." Hermione said, apologetically.

"Oh, yeh did, did yeh?"

"It was kind of… obvious." Ron interjected.

James had to give them credit. All three of them were observant of anything. Nothing could get by them.

"Never known kids like you three fer knowin' more'n yeh oughta. An' I'm not complimentin' yeh, neither. Nosy, some'd call it. Interferin'."

"So you have been looking for giants." James prompted. If Harry was not going to leave until he had heard the full story, then he may as well get Hagrid speaking about it.

"Yeah, I have." Hagrid responded.

"And you found them?" Hermione whispered, fear evident in her voice.

"Well, they're not that difficult ter find, ter be honest," said Hagrid. "Pretty big, see."

"Where are they?" said Ron.

"Mountains." Replied Hagrid, albeit a little unhelpfully.

Ron frowned. "So if they are in the mountains, how come the Muggles -?"

"They do," said James, "It's quite obvious really."

"Huh?"

"The Muggle mountaineers are killed by the giants, but when they are found, they find evidence suggesting that they fell off the cliff to their deaths. The Muggles don't see how giants could exist. The same with Witches and Wizards. Anything supernatural happening, they put it down to either scientific or religious, or they change the story entirely."

Sirius nodded in agreement. "Exactly. They put the deaths of thirteen Muggles down as a gas explosion rather then magic. That's how ignorant Muggles really are of other kinds."

"So Fudge still won't hear you out?" Hagrid asked.

"Nope." Sirius sighed.

"I tried but…" James shrugged. "Unfortunately Fudge would prefer to remain incompetent in what really happened that night."

"Oh…"

"Which is why Sirius is here with me, disguised as a dog during daylight hours."

"That explains wot Professor Dumbledore meant by a dog runnin' round the castle."

"Hey! I do not run around the castle!"

James laughed. "Obviously Dumbledore believes otherwise. Just drop it Padfoot." He said. "Anyway we were talking about the giants?"

"Not while these three are 'ere." Hagrid responded.

"Come on, Hagrid, tell us what you've been up to!" said Ron. "Tell us about being attacked by the giants and Harry can tell you about being attacked by the Dementors -"

He was cut off by Hagrid practically choking on his drink. "Whadda yeh mean, attacked by Dementors?"

"Didn't you know?" Hermione asked, wide-eyed.

"I don' know anythin' that's bin happenin' since I left. I was on a secret mission, wasn' I, didn' wan' owls followin' me all over the place - ruddy Dementors! Yeh're not serious?"

When he had been younger, James would've responded to that last question as 'I'm Sirius, I'm James. Are you sure you don't need your eyes tested?' But now when that remark came up he remained silent. This situation was serious; it was no time for laughing or joking.

Harry continued the story. "Yeah, I am, they turned up in Little Whinging and attacked me and my cousin, and then the Ministry of magic expelled me -"

"WHAT!" Hagrid exploded.

"-and I had to go to a hearing and everything, but tell us about the giants first."

"You were expelled?"

"Tell us about your summer and I'll tell you about mine." Harry prompted.

Blackmail. James grinned. Pure and simple. Harry wanted to know what Hagrid was up to, while Hagrid wanted to know about the Dementors. There was only one way that Hagrid would get his story, and that was to tell Harry, Ron and Hermione what had happened to him.

Sighing, Hagrid gave in. "All righ'." During the brief discussion, the steak that Hagrid had been covering over his left eye, had fallen to the ground and his dog, Fang was chewing on it. Without seemingly a care about hygiene, Hagrid picked it up and slapped it onto his face.

"Well, we set off righ' after term ended -"

"We?" James and Sirius asked at the same time.

"Madame Maxine." Hermione responded. "She did go with you then, right?"

"Yeah. Jus' the pair of us. An' I'll tell yeh this, she's not afraid of roughin' it. Olympe. Yeh know, she's a fine, well dressed woman, an' knowin' where we was goin' I wondered 'ow she'd feel abou' clamberin' over boulders an' sleepin' in caves an' tha' bu' she never complained once."

"Then you knew where you were going?" James asked. "You knew where the giants were?"

Hagrid nodded. "Dumbledore told us. He knew."

"Are they hidden?" Ron asked. "Is it a secret where they are?"

"Not really." Hagrid shook his shaggy head. "It's jus' that mos' wizards aren' bothered where they are, s'long as it's a good long way away. But where they are's very difficult ter get ter, fer humans anyway, so we needed Dumbledore's instructions. Took us abou' a month ter get there-"

"A month?" Ron bellowed, surprised. "But - why couldn't you just grab a Portkey or something?"

Hagrid smiled sadly from beneath the steak.

"All of us are being watched." James responded. "Anyone seen or suspected to be in league with Dumbledore is being looked out for. If they do anything that the Ministry doesn't like then they can just haul us in."

"We know the Ministry's watching Dumbledore-" Harry was keen to hear the rest of Hagrid's story.

"So you had to act like Muggles?" Ron asked.

"Not exactly all the way." Said Hagrid cagily. "We ju' had ter be careful, 'cause Olype an' me, we stick out a bit-"

Ron and Sirius both made a stifled noise somewhere between a snort and a hasty sniff. James elbowed Sirius in the stomach, while Ron took a sip from his tea.

Hagrid continued. "-so we're not hard ter follow. We was pretendin' we was goin' on holiday together, so we got inter France an' we made like we was headin' fer where Olympe's school is, 'cause we knew we was bein' trailed by someone from the Ministry. We had ter go slow 'cause I'm not really s'posed ter use magic an' we knew the Ministry'd be lookin' fer a reason ter run us in. But we managed ter give the berk tailin' us the slip round abou' Dee-John-"

Hermione squealed in excitement. "Ooooh, Dijon? I've been there on holiday! Did you see…"

"Hermione, now is not the time." James warned, and he watched as her face fell.

"We chanced a bit o' magic after that an' it wasn' a bad journey. Ran inter a couple o' mad trolls on the Polish border an' I had a sligh' disagreement with a vampire in a pub in Minsk, bu' apart from tha' couldn't'a bin smoother."

Hagrid sighed. Closing his eyes he seemed to remember. They waited for him to continue his story.

"An' then we reached the place, an' we started trekkin' up through the mountains, lookin' fer signs of 'em….We had ter lay off magic once we got near 'em. Partly 'cause they don' like wizards an' we didn' want ter put their backs up too soon, an' partly 'cause Dumbledore had warned us that You-Know-Who was bound ter be after the giants an' all. Said it was odds on he'd sent a messenger off ter them alread. Told us ter be very careful of drawin' attention ter ourselves as we got nearer in case there was Death Eater's around."

He took a sip of tea and sat back.

"Go on!" James urged, ready to hear the rest. He could feel that they were coming to the pinnacle point of the story.

"Found 'em. Went over a ridge one nigh' an' there they was, spread ou' underneath us. Little fires burnin' below an' huge shadows…it was like watchin' buts o' the mountain movin."

"How big are they?" Ron asked in awe.

"Bout twenty feet," said Hagrid casually, "Some o' the bigger ones mighta bin twenty-five."

"How many were there?" Harry asked.

"I reckon abou' seventy or eighty," Hagrid estimated.

"Is that all?" Hermione asked.

"Yes," said Hagrid sadly, "eighty left, an' there was loads once, musta bin a hundred diff'rent tribes from all over the world. Bu' they've bin dyin' out fer ages. Wizards killed a few o' course, bu' mostly they killed each other, an' now they're dyin' out faster than ever. They're not made ter live bunched up together like tha'. Dumbledore says its our fault, it was the wizards who forced 'em to go an' made 'em live a good long way from us an' they had no choice bu' ter stick together fer their own protection."

"But you saw them though." Sirius said.

Hagrid nodded. "Well, we waited till morning, didn' want ter go sneakin' up on 'em in the dark, fer our own safety. 'Bout three in the mornin' they fell asleep jus' where they was sittin'. We didn' dare sleep. Fer one thing we wanted ter make sure none of 'em woke up an' came up where we were, an' fer another, the snorin' was unbelievable. Caused an avalanche near mornin'."

"Anyway, once it was light we wen' down ter see 'em."

James gasped. "You walked right in."

Hagrid shrugged. "Well, yeah, bu' Dumbledore had shown us how ter do it. Give the Gurg gifts, show some respect, yeh know."

"The what?" Harry asked.

"The Gurg." James explained. He knew a little but about giants. "He's the chief."

"How can you tell which one is the Gurg?" Hermione asked.

Hagrid grunted in amusement, but James answered the question.

"Simple. The biggest, the ugliest and the laziest. He was probably sitting there waiting to be brought food by the others."

"How'd you know that?" Harry asked, amazed his father knew anything about giants.

James grinned. "We learnt a bit about the giants in History of Magic."

"Please continue Hagrid." Harry prompted.

"Your father's right. The Gurg was exactly that. Name o' Karkus. We walked down ter him, where he was lyin' in the valley. They was in this dip between four pretty high mountains, see, beside a mountain lake, an' Karkus was lyin' roarin' at the others ter feed him an' his wife. Olympe an' I went down the mountainside-"

"Didn't they try to kill you when they saw you?" asked Ron incredulously.

"It was def'nitely on some o' their minds," said Hagrid, shrugging, "but we did what Dumbledore told us ter do, which was ter hold our gift high an' keep our eyes on the Gurg an' ignore the others. So tha's what we did. An' the rest of 'em went quiet an' watched us pass an' we got right up ter Karkus's feet an' we bowed an' put our present down in front o' him."

"Let me guess," Sirius said, "the gift was a branch of Gubraithian fire."

"Huh?" Harry asked.

Hermione uttered. "A branch of everlasting fire. Honestly, you ought to know that by now. Professor Flitwick has mentioned it at least twice in class!"

"Exactly," Hagrid replied, "Anyway, Dumbledore'd bewitched this branch to burn fer evermore, which isn' somethin' any wizard could do, an' so I lies it down in the snow by Karkus's feet and says, 'A gift to the Gurg of the giants from Albus Dumbledore, who sends his respectful greetings."

"And what did they say?" James asked.

"Nothin'," Hagrid simply said, "Didn' speak English."

"You're kidding!"

"Didn' matter. Dumbledore had warned us tha' migh' happen. Karkus knew enough to yell fer a couple o' giants who knew our lingo an' they translated fer us."

"Did he like the present?" Sirius asked.

"Oh yeah, once they understood what it was. So I said, 'Albus Dumbledore asks the Gurg to speak with his messenger when he returns tomorrow with another gift."

"Why couldn't you speak that day?" Harry questioned.

"Simple," James answered, "If you go too fast, you'll hurt the giants feelings. If you go slow through the process it is likely that you will make friends with them instead of turning them into your enemies. Also some giants don't like too much information. Am I right?"

Hagrid nodded his approval. "Otherwise they migh' jus' kill you." So we left' tha' night and spent it in a cave until the followin' mornin' when we went back and found Karkus sittin' up and waitin' fer us lookin' all eager."

"And this time you talked to him?" Harry asked.

"Oh yeah. Firs' we presented him with a nice battle helmet - goblin-made an' indestructible, yeh know - an' then we sat down an' we talked."

Sirius leaned into James and whispered: "I was unaware that humans could talk in giant."

"He had someone to translate, you idiot." James responded.

Sirius scowled. "I know that! I was just trying to lighten the mood."

James sighed and focused his attention back on Hagrid.

"What did he say?" Ron said.

"Not much, he listened mostly. Bu' there were good signs. He'd heard of Dumbledore, heard he'd argued against the killin' o' last giants in Britain. Karkus seemed ter be quite int'rested in what Dumbledore had ter say. An' a few o' the others, 'specially the ones who had some English, they gathered round an' listened too. We were hopeful when we left that day. Promised ter come back next mornin; with another present. Bu' that night it all wen' wrong."

James sat up straighter, his hazel eyes full of worry.

"What d'you mean?" said Ron quickly.

"Well, like I say, they're not meant ter live together, giants, not in big groups like. They can' help themselves, they half kill each other every few weeks. The men fight each other an' the woman fight each other; the remnants of the old tribes fight each other, an' that's even without squabbles over food an' the best fires and' sleepin' spots. Yeh'd think, seein' as how their whole race is abou' finished, they'd lay off each pther, bu'…"

Hagrid sighed, obviously annoyed about the fact that their mission had gone wrong by what he was about to relate next.

"That night a fight broke out, we saw it from the mouth of our cave, lookin' down on the valley. Went on fer hours, yeh wouldn' believe the noise. An' when the sun came up the snow was scarlet an' his head was lyin' at the bottom o' the lake."

James had a horrible feeling what was about to be said next.

"Whose head?" Hermione numbly whispered.

"Karkus's. There was a new Gurg, Golgomath. We hadn' bargained on a new Gurg two days after we'd made friendly contact with the firs' one, an' we had a funny feelin' Golgomath wouldn' be so keen ter listen to us, bu' we had ter try."

"You went to speak to him?" asked Ron incredulously.

"After you'd watched him rip off another giant's head?" Harry urged.

Hagrid nodded. "Course we did. We hadn' gone all that way ter give up after two days! We wen' down with the next present we'd meant ter give Karkus. I knew it was no go before I'd opened me mouth. He was sittin' there wearin' Karkus's helmet, leerin' at us as we got nearer. He's massive, one o' biggest ones there. Black hair an' matchin' teeth an' a necklace o' bones. Human-lookin' bones some of 'em. Well, I gave it a go - held out a great roll o' dragon skin - an' said, 'A gift fer the Gurg of the giants-' Nex' thing I knew, I was hangin' upside-down in the air by me feet, two of his mates had grabbed me."

Hermione gasped; Ron looked horrified and Harry responded: "How did you get out of that?"

"Wouldn'ta done if Olympe hadn' bin there," Hagrid explained. "She pulled out her wand an' did some o' the fastest spellwork I've ever seen. Ruddy marvellous. Hitthe two holdin' me right in the eyes with Conjunctivitus Curses an' they dropped me straightaway - bu' we were in trouble then, cause…"

"You used magic." James supplied instantly.

"Yeah. We had ter leg it an' we knew there was no way we was going ter be able ter march inter the camp again."

"Blimey, Hagrid." Said Ron quietly.

"You could've been killed." Harry said.

Hagrid shrugged. "It's part of me job. Anyways, we left and went up into the mountains."

"If you were there for only three days, how come its taken you so long to get home?" Hermione asked, curiosity evident in her features.

"We didn' leave after three days!" Hagrid look outraged at the words. "Dumbledore was relyin' on us!"

Hermione bit her lip. "But you just said there was no way you could go back!"

"Not by daylight we couldn', no. We jus' had ter rethink a bit. Spent a couple o' days lyin low up in the cave an' watching. An' wah' we saw wasn' good."

James whispered into Sirius ear. "Why do I get the feeling that Voldemort is involved in this somehow?"

"He always is." Sirius responded.

"Did he rip off more heads?" Hermione asked, hoping that that wasn't what Hagrid was talking about.

"No, but I wish he had though."

"What d'you mean?" Hermione said.

"I mean we soon found out he didn' object ter all wizards - just us."

Harry was quick on the uptake, which James marvelled him for. "Death Eaters?"

"Yep," Hagrid said sadly, his shoulders drooping. "Couple of 'em were visitin' him ev'ry day, bringin' gifts ter the Gurg, an' he wasn' dangling them upside-down."

Ron frowned. "How'd you know they were Death Eaters?"

"Because I recognised one of 'em. Macnair, remember him? Bloke they sent ter kill Buckbeak? Maniac…"

"Who's Buckbeak?" James asked, whispering to Sirius.

"I'll tell you later."

James nodded.

"So Macnair's persuaded the giants to join You-Know-Who?" said Hermione desperately.

"I haven' finished me story yet!" Hagrid said in defence. "Me an' Olympe talked it over an' we agreed, jus' 'cause the Gurg looked like favourin' You-Know-Who didn' mean all of 'em would. We had ter try an' persuade some o' the others, the ones who hadn' wanted Golgomath as Gurg."

"How would you know that?" Ron asked, indignantly.

James had to admit that Ron Weasley had a point.

"Simple. They were the ones bein' beaten to a pulp. The ones with any sense were keepin' outta Golgomath's way hidin' out in caves roun' the gully jus' like we were. So we decided to go pokin' round the caves by night an' see if we couldn' persuade a few of them."

"You went poking around dark caves looking for giants?" said Ron, who could hardly believe what he was hearing.

Hagrid shrugged. "Well, it wasn' the giants who worried us most."

"Death Eaters?" James asked, knowing full well that the answer would be yes.

"Yeah, Dumbledore told us before we wen' ter tangle with 'em if we could avoid it, an' trouble was they knew we was around -s'pect Galgomath told 'em abou' us. At night, when the giants were sleepin' an' we wanted ter be creepin' inter the caves, Macnair an' the other one were sneakin' round the mountains lookin' fer us."

"Judging by this Olympe character, I am not surprised she didn't try to jump out at those two." James remarked.

"She tried to, bu' we couldn' afford ter be seen." Hagrid explained. "Very fiery woman…'spect the French in her."

James noticed that Hagrid's eyes had gone all misty. He exchanged glances with Sirius who tossed him a grin. It was obvious that their game keeping friend liked this Olympe.

"So, what happened? Did you ever get near any of the other giants?" Harry prompted after thirty seconds had passed.

Hagrid did a double take. So focused on Olympe he had been, that he had forgotten he had visitors. "What? Oh…oh, yeah, we did. Yeah, on the third night after Karkus was killed we crept outta the cave we'd bin hidin' in an' headed back down inter the gully, keepin' our eyes skinned fer the Death Eaters. Got inside a few o' caves, no go - then, in abou' the sixth one, we found three giants hidin'."

Hermione looked horrified.

"Cave must've been cramped." Ron muttered.

"Wasn' room ter swing a Kneazle." Hagrid said, catching the significance of the joke.

"Didn't they attack when they saw you?" Hermione asked.

"Probably woulda done if they'd bin in any condition, but they was badly hurt, all three o' them. Beaten by Golgomath's lot. They'd crawled inta the nearest shelter they could find. Anyway, one o' them had a bit of English an' 'e translated fer the others, an' what we had ter say didn' seem ter go down too badly. So we kep' goin back, visitin' the wounded…I reckon we had abou' six or seven o' them convinced at one poin'."

"Six or seven?" James and Ron said, simultaneously.

"That's not bad - are they going to come over here and start fighting You-Know-Who with us?"

Hermione was looking at Hagrid with an expression of confusion. Then something clicked. "What do you mean 'at one point'"

"They didn't come did they, Hagrid," James said, sorrow filling his heart.

"That Golgomath's lot attacked them, didn't they?" Sirius predicted.

Hagrid nodded sadly. "That's right."

"So, they are not coming?" Ron asked, to confirm it.

"Nope. None whatsoever. But we did wha' we meant ter do, we gave 'em Dumbledore's message an' some o' then heard it an' I 'spect some o' them'll remember it. Jus' maybe, them that don' want ter stay around Golgomath'll move outta the mountains, an there's gotta be a chance they'll remember Dumbledore's friendly to 'em…could be they'll come."

Hagrid clasped his hands together and it was apparent that his tale had finished.

"Hagrid?" said Hermione. "Did you…was there any sign of…did you hear anything about your…your…mother while you were there?"

Hagrid shook his head. "No. She died years ago. They told me."

"I'm so sorry, Hagrid." Hermione apologised.

"No need," Hagrid said shortly. "She wasn' a great mother. Can't remember her much."

The room was silent.

Sirius frowned. "There's just one thing you haven't answered."

"And wha's that?"

"You haven't explained why you are so late back."

Harry piped in. "Or how you got in that state."

"Who attacked you?" Ron asked.

"I haven' bin attacked! I-" Hagrid's voice broke off as a shrill knocking erupted on his door. Through the window, James could tell that someone small and squat stood behind the door.

"Umbridge!" he whispered, urgently.

Immediately Sirius transformed, and Harry, Ron and Hermione slipped under the Invisibility cloak that they had used to sneak across the grounds. They huddled together, backing into a corner. James placed his chair in front of them, with Sirius as a dog at his side. Hagrid, meanwhile, hid any evidence that the trio was in the hut.

"Open the door." James instructed.

Hagrid did so and he came face to face with Umbridge.

"You're Hagrid, are you?" She pushed her way into his hut.

"I don' want ter be rude, but who the ruddy hell are you?"

"My name is Dolores Umbridge." Her eyes swept the cabin, focusing on James. "Ah, Professor Potter, what are you doing here?"

"Is it a crime to talk to an old friend?" James asked.

She scowled but did not comment.

"Dolores Umbridge?" Hagrid questioned. "I thought you were one o' them Ministry - don' you work with Fudge?"

"I was Senior Undersecretary to the Minister, yes."

"She's now the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher," James answered.

"-and Hogwarts High Inquisitor." Said Umbridge giving no sign that she had heard him.

"What's that?" Hagrid asked, thoroughly confused.

"Precisly what I was going to ask." Umbridge explained, pointing to a smashed cup on the floor, which Hermione had broken in her haste to hide under the cloak.

"That was mine." James replied, before Hagrid to muster a response. "I broke my cup so I had to use another one."

"And what about the visitors. I heard children in here." Umbridge said sweetly.

"There's no children." Hagrid said.

"Just me." James grinned.

"I find that hard to believe." Hogwarts High Inquisitor said. "Just one more thing: where have you been? Term started two months ago."

"I've been away - fer me health."

"For your health?" Umbridge asked slyly, clearly unconvinced.

"Yeah…bit o' fresh air."

_Idiot. _James thought.

"Yes, as gamekeeper fresh air must be so difficult to come by."

Hagrid flushed. "Well - change o' scenery, yeh know-"

"Mountains?" Umbridge asked.

James stared in horror. How did that old bat know?

"Mountains?" Hagrid repeated/ "Nope, South o' France fer me. Bit o' sun an'…an' sea."

"Really? You don't have much of a tan?" Umbridge questioned, clearly enjoying herself.

"Sensitive skin." said Hagrid.

"I shall be of course informing the Minister of your late return. As High Inquisitor, it is my unfortunate duty to inspect my fellow teachers. So i daresay we shall meet again soon enough."

She turned sharply and made to leave. James breathed a sigh of relief.

"You're inspectin' us?" Hagrid repeated blankly.

Umbridge smiled sweetly, causing James to feel ill to the stomach. That smile…was just revolting. "Oh, yes. The Ministry is determined to weed out unsatisfactory teachers, Hagrid. Goodnight."

She left, closing the door to Hagrid's hut as she went.

A few minutes passed before Sirius transformed back into a human, followed by Harry, Ron and Hermione from under the Invisibility Cloak.

"Inspectin' people, is she?"

James nodded. "Yeah, I've been given a warning. I'm not on probation, but I'm sure she will find a way to get me kicked out."

"You never told me about this warning!" Harry exclaimed, looking annoyed at the fact that his father had kept this from him.

James shrugged. "You never asked."

Harry scowled. "What did it say?"

"Basically, it warned me that I should respect the students opinions on what they learn."

"What?" Hermione asked.

"Apparently I should ask students what they think of the current magical creatures they are studying and ask them to write more about them." James grimaced. "I get the feeling she only wrote that to try and find a way to get me fired and in trouble with the Ministry. She has it in for me."

"Now that Hagrid's back, are you still teaching us?" Ron asked.

"Well, I was hoping that I could continue teaching alongside you, if that was okay?" James turned to Hagrid.

"Tha's fine." replied Hagrid.

"We'll work on the details later." James added. "Now, I think it's time for the rest of us to retire to bed." He pointedly looked at the trio.

"Come on guys," Harry said, catching the hint, "we'd better go before dad turns us in."

The trio then left, covering themselves in the Invisibility Cloak.

Sirius transformed back into a dog and sat patiently waiting for James.

"It's good ter see ya again James." Hagrid said, smiling through his beard.

James bowed his head. "You too, Hagrid. It's good to be back here. Especially in a place that I love and hold a lot of memories of."

He turned to leave. "I'll see you tomorrow, to talk over lesson plans."

"Righ'." Hagrid replied, and then, as James walked out of his hut, he shut the door, and sat back down to heal himself.

* * *

Three days after the Quidditch match and Hagrid's return, was the first lesson of Care of Magical Creatures that James would co-teach. They had already been informed that Umbridge would be coming to inspect them and James had been trying to persuade Hagrid to teach something sensible, however he was adamant that the Ministry official wouldn't mind him showing the students Thestrals. 

James had reluctantly accepted, though he knew it would spell doom. Once Hagrid got his mind onto something there was no changing it. Either way he would have to wait and see what transpired during the lesson. He only hoped Hagrid wouldn't fowl it up.

Umbridge was not there at the beginning of the lesson, so the two proceeded to lead the class into the Forbidden Forest, to a clearing where sun fell through the gaps in the trees. James let Hagrid take rein of the class and watched as he explained about the magical creature and then threw meat to the ground.

James was surprised when a horse - a black one - with wings emerged into the clearing. Hazel eyes widened. Glancing round he saw that some students had a look of confusion on their faces. What were they meant to see?

"Hagrid?" James asked, his throat tight. "Why can I see them and others can't?"

"Simple. Can anyone tell me why some o' yeh can see 'em an' some can't?" he addressed the question to the class.

Hermione raised her hand and answered: "The only people who can see Thestrals are people who have seen death."

"Tha' right. So that's how yeh can see 'em James."

It made sense now. After all he had been dead. He had seen death before. He had seen his parents die so he supposed that qualified. Harry, of course, must have seen either Lily die or that Cedric Diggory he had told him about during the summer.

Suddenly came the sound that James had been dreading.

"Hem, hem."

_Oh no. _

"You received the note I sent to your cabin this morning? Telling you that I would be inspecting your lesson?"

"Oh, yeah!" replied Hagrid. "Glad yeh found the place all righ'! Well, as you can see - or I dunno - can you? We're doin' Thestrals today-"

He was cut off by Umbridge. "I'm sorry? What did you say?" she said this rather loudly to make it clear that she was trying to bait him.

_Don't fall for it. _James thought.

Unfortunately Hagrid did. "Er - Thestrals! Big - er - winged horses, yeh know?" He flapped his arms demonstrating.

James saw Umbridge look oddly at him. She started to write on her clipboard, muttering clearly under her breath. "Has….to…resort…to…crude…sign…language."

Hagrid was beginning to get flustered. "Well…anyway…erm…what was I sayin'?"

James slapped his head with his hand. He noted that the Slytherins were laughing.

"Appears…to…have…poor…short…term…memory." Umbridge continued, causing more laughter to ring out.

_Time to save his skin. _James stepped forward, ready to take his place. He cleared his throat. "Right, as you can see here (whether you can or not) we know that Hogwarts has a whole herd of Thestrals. This one," James patted one of animals, "is called Tenebrus. He was the first one born into the forest and Hagrid's favourite. This is the only male that we have. There are five females altogether as well."

Umbridge 'hemmed' again. "Are you aware that that Ministry of Magic has classified Thestrals as 'dangerous'?"

"I am," James added, "I have been trained to deal with these creatures. I know that if they are annoyed or upset by comments made by people, they can be dangerous, but if one follows the proper cautionary then Thestrals will cause no harm."

Umbridge scowled. "I'm going to take a walk. Please continue as normal."

James let Hagrid take over, but just as he was gaining confidence, Pansy Parkinson ruined it by rising to the challenge of saying that she could not understand Hagrid's speech. Hagrid lost his confidence again, causing James to take over.

After getting more responses from the students about Hagrid, Umbridge proclaimed that inspection complete and then left the lesson. So annoyed was James that he almost pulled out his wand and hit her with a hex, however he resisted the temptation and instead concentrated on teaching the rest of the lesson, while Hagrid sat back.

The lesson had not gone well.

* * *

December came in, and the end of term hurtled toward them at lightning speed. Between the DA and teaching Care of Magical Creatures, James hardly had time to speak to Harry. One thing he did manage to discover was that Harry had a crush on one of the DA members. A girl called Cho Chang. He promised himself to ask his son about her during the Christmas holidays. 

He and Harry had been invited to the Weasley's home for Christmas, meaning that Sirius would be left alone at Grimmauld Place. James vowed to see if his friend could come along.

A few days before the end of term, James was woken by Professor McGonagall. Harry had, had a dream about Arthur Weasley, and what he had seen had come true. Within the hour of being woken up, James, Harry, Sirius and the Weasley's had left to go back to Grimmauld Place.

James had the feeling that this was just the beginning of his troubles.

**TBC**

**Most of Hagrid's speech came directly from the 'Hagrid's Tale' chapter from OOTP, though I modified it to include James and Sirius. **

**Thank you's go to the following: **RoschLupin-Black; Loonie Potter; Crazy-Physco; Suicidal Bunnies; Rogue200315; PrincessSkywalkerOrgana; xLaceMeWithWindx; Lunatic Pandora1; supernova8610; Padfoot's Sidekick; Birchy; Lilac **_(I don't think Singapore is for me…maybe a bit too hot…)_**; amrawo; faeriekittie306animelover; Eric2; xodanielle03ox; JTBJAB; americanidalfreak; nogoalielikeme; Daftlilme; Sirius-Black-SFan; zippyfox; IamSiriusgrl; emuerz; magicgirl45852; The Kaizeress; Hazel Maraa; **and** RainingInsanity.

**realpyromaniac: **Well British weather is mainly rain, but every now and then we get a burst of sunlight. I am considering moving to a hotte country but that means leaving my family and I don't want to do that.

**littlewolf-moony: **If I'm hinting at a H/HR romance then that is not my intention. I can't write romance at all. I will only include romance if it happens in the book, so whether Ron and Hermione eventaully get together depends on what happens in the sixth book. I'm waiting like the rest of you to see how it all turns out. As I'm following the plot for the books I don't intend to delve to far from the original book. Yeah, I need to add in more facial expressions and stuff to give the characters more personality. James didn't go to team practices because he doesn't want to distract them and its not a teachers place to really do that. Besides he's been busy getting used to the fact that he's alive again and teaching. Hagrid does know about James being alive because Dumbledore's informed him before he sent the letter in the last chapter. I just didn't mention that. You envy me for living in the UK. Excuse me for laughing but when you said about extreme heat that is a bit of an overstatement. Last year we had two to three weeks in the summer of a heat wave and no rain…I know you have worse but every summer we have more and more sun than the last one. The rain comes in the Winter, but because of the heat wave last summer we haven't had much rain, instead we had mountains of snow falling, which was quite good, but then its got hot again! My first exam is this Monday…which is ICT and since I failed the first time I don't have much optimism that I'll do well this time, but I have tried my best this time…Thank you for your very long review!

**HarrysGrl: **Two reviews from you! Thanks for telling me that you reviewed twice though! I actually thought new reviewer! I hope this chapter answered your questions!

**Ambereyes2873: **Don't apologise for the randomness. I quite enjoy reading the rants and raves of the reviewers. Thank you for your wonderful insight into my latest chapter. I hope you enjoyed this one as well!

**empatheticallychosen: **Sirius is useless in this story because he is still in hiding. No one can see him or he'll be given to the Dementors.

**Lady Taliesin: **For the rating of your story I reckon you should be cautious and give it a T (is that the highest?) or if K+ is higher give it that rating just to be cautious. Yes, my dad owns a digital camera so if I draw the picture I can put it on the computer and send it you. Fantastic idea! Thanks! If I'm leaning towards Harry/Hermione relationship in the writing, then that is not what I mean to do. So if it came out like that when I said that Hermione is like Lily, its just that James is recognising certain qualities that Lily had in Hermione. Ahhh, I don't hate Ron. He's quite a good character to write about but since this story isn't about him, I'm not expanding on his character. Yes, James was a chaser, though people tell me that he was a Seeker, but that is wrong because JKRowling has said HERSELF that James was a Chaser. The Philosopher's Stone film said he was a Seeker, so that people could identify Harry with James easier. And that funny exceprt you made was hilarious. I was laughing for a long while…one of your best I think. I had the image of the 6 Potters carrying a 7th on a stretcher…hehehe. Another typo, DOH! Unfortunately I cannot tell you if James will see the visions Harry sees. The connection will be explained after the incident at the Department of Mysteries. I still haven't made up my mind if Sirius will die or not. I do know James will survive until the end of the sixth book. (I am carrying this fic on into HBP). Yep, I would certainly strangle Malfoy if I had the chance. I'll have to look for that 'project ferret' site. It sounds really interesting. I hope this chapter was long enough for you!

**Next chapter: **Christmas - this is another long chapter, but not as long as this one! Will be available to read on the **28th May 2005! **

**Thanks again, **

**MissBlackPotter**


	23. Christmas

**IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**I had a few complaints about the last chapter. I know that I used dialogue from the book in that chapter but it was necessary. It won't happen very often, but it was important for that conversation to be rewritten. As I'm writing the story in a James-point-of-view you will find that I will have to rewrite some scenes exactly from the book but incorporate James into them. I am sorry for this and I will try to avoid it whenever I can. **

**Hopefully this chapter is a bit better…**

**Some of you may have noticed that I am also writing a Star Wars story (which can be found in my bio) however this story (the Harry Potter one) is my main priority. There will always be a chapter available every week unless I am unable to get to a computer. The Star Wars story is just for fun. The chapters for that will be short, compared to the chapters here which will be much longer. I thought I'd clear that up. The Star Wars story will probably be updated every time this one is. Now that you are all informed of that…**

**Just one more thing: the next update for this story won't be for another 2 weeks. I am going away tomorrow for a week and won't be back till Saturday 4th June and I won't have a computer to write story on. I go back to school the following Monday and the following Thursday I have a very important exam so I can't update until after I've had my exam as it is vitally important for me to do well. So the next update will be June 11th, I think. Sorry guys but this exam is really essential. If I don't pass then I can't drop the subject and come away with a good grade…**

* * *

**Prongs Rides Again**

**Chapter Twenty-Three: Christmas**

The next few hours after James, Harry, Sirius and the Weasleys had arrived back at Grimmauld Place, was a solemn one. James had not been present at the time Harry had explained to Dumbledore about the nightmare, instead he had been in the process of collecting the Weasley children. As Harry was his son, James had been excused from lessons and allowed to accompany him home. Though he didn't like leaving Hagrid to the whim of Umbridge, he was thankful that all Care of Magical Creature lessons had finished for the term, meaning that James had no need to worry about the welfare of his friend and teaching partner. It also meant he could do what he wanted, which made his job of being a father to Harry, far more easier then he thought it would be.

Arriving at the old house, the Weasleys sat themselves round the table. After a brief argument about letting the Weasleys go off to ST Mungo's had ended, and the heat around the room had finally died down, James thought it was safe for Harry to explain to him exactly what had happened.

Everyone piped up to hear Harry's account of what had transpired. James was equally interested in hearing about the vision; he was worried that somehow Voldemort was controlling his sons thoughts, though he was sure Dumbledore would've warned him if anything suspicious was or could happen to Harry.

Once everyone had heard the tale, quietness echoed round the table. No one spoke for fear of saying the wrong thing. Even James who had been there when his own parents had been murdered, had nothing of comfort to say. He feared that he would say something that would upset them. Staying silent at this time would be best.

"Where are you going?" Sirius suddenly asked.

James looked up and saw Ginny standing impatiently in her dressing gown, her arms crossed and a worried look on her face. She addressed them all, but it was her eyes that got James. She was seeking for permission.

The red-haired said: "We've got to go to St Mungo's. Make sure that dad is alright."

"You can't go," Sirius responded, standing up.

"You can't stop us! You're not out mother!" Fred yelled, pointing a finger into Sirius' face.

"But this is my house! I can't have you tearing off to the hospital without Molly knowing! Besides who can you explain it to? Molly probably doesn't know yet."

"So? Who cares if we know before mum does?" Ron joined in.

"If the hospital haven't informed your mother, how can you explain that you found out before she did. They will tell her before you know. That is what happens. If you rush, they might get suspicious." Sirius sighed. "It's important that the Order remains a secret. If you run off, you risk the exposure of the Order."

"We don't care about the dumb order!" George shouted. "We care about dad! For all we know he could be dying! We may never see him again."

"Help me Prongs." Sirius said, turning to James.

James stepped forward, spreading his hands wide in a gesture of peace. "Look, I'll make a deal with you. If you are willing to wait for another few hours here, then I'll take you to see your father at St Mungo's whether we've had contact from Molly or not. Deal?"

The twins exchanged glances. "All right."

"Two hours." George said.

Fred finished: "Maximum."

James held out his hand and they shook upon it. _I only hope Molly informs us soon. _

* * *

Within thirty minutes of James making the deal with the twins, Molly sent a letter with Dumbledore's phoenix Fawkes. The bird was gone in a matter of seconds, leaving a piece of parchment on the table in front of James. 

He unrolled the letter and read it aloud so that everyone could hear the contents.

'_**Dad is still alive. I am setting out for St Mungo's. Stay where you are. I will send news as soon as I can. Mum.'**_

"Still alive?" George whispered, fear evident in his voice. "But that makes it sound like…" he cut off, not wanting to finish the sentence.

Everything fell quiet round the kitchen. James sat at the table, trying to strike up conversation. Sirius suggested them going to bed, however the twins look of disgust quashed any thought of that.

After a rather tense few hours, the kitchen door swung open, admitting Mrs Weasley into the fold. All eyes turned to her. Dishevelled in appearance, the Weasley's mother looked pale but relieved.

James prayed that Arthur had been saved. If he hadn't, he was sure Molly wouldn't be looking relieved.

"He's going to be all right. He's sleeping. We can all go and see him later."

A flurry of happiness passed through the room. James sighed, and for the first time that day allowed a grin to pass across his face.

"Breakfast!" Sirius said, raising his wand and setting the atmosphere running with cooking. "KREACHER!" he yelled. When the house-elf didn't come, James began to feel apprehensive. A house elf should always come when it is called. "Where's that accursed house-elf?"

James shrugged. "Here let me help." Pushing the chair aside, he stood, and went to Sirius' side who stood at the side of the kitchen, making breakfast. Harry joined him. James had the impression he didn't want to be questioned about the nights events. However, his son's happiness was short-lived when Mrs Weasley hugged Harry.

"I don't know what would have happened if it hadn't been for you, Harry. They might not have found Arthur for hours, and then it would've been too late, but thanks to you he's alive and Dumbledore's been able to think up a good cover story for Arthur being where he was, you've no idea what trouble he would have been in otherwise…" she trailed off and turned to James. "You are very lucky to have a caring boy like Harry."

"Thank you." James replied, not knowing what to say. Harry made him proud. If Lily was here, she would've been proud too.

* * *

While the Weasley's ate, Harry took his father and Sirius into the pantry, where he explained everything about the dream he had, that had told him and informed him all about the attack on Arthur Weasley. 

James listened, horrified to learn that Voldemort might somehow have access to his son thoughts. Once he had finished, James wrapped an arm round Harry.

"I will not let anything bad happen to you," James vowed, "and neither will Dumbledore."

Harry glared. "He's been avoiding me."

"Who?"

"Professor Dumbledore." Harry stated. "When I was in his office he didn't even look at me! He avoided eye contact! But then…"

"But then what?" James prompted, leaning back.

Harry hesitated, screwing his face up, unsure of how to put what he wanted into words. "Dumbledore looked at me for the briefest of seconds. When that happened, I felt something rise up inside me. I…I wanted to attack him…to kill.

"It must have been the aftermath of the vision." Sirius stated, firmly.

James caught Sirius' eyes. Did his best friend know something that he didn't? Sirius shook his head, motioning for his friend to remain quiet, and James obeyed. Obviously Sirius had been told to not let Harry know what he knew, and what James was going to find out.

Harry shook his head, stubbonly. "It wasn't like that. It was like…that it was inside me, like it was a snake."

"You need to sleep." Sirius said.

"Have some breakfast and go have a rest. Don't worry about what happened. It's nothing major." James continued, even though he realised it was major. Anything that concerned the welfare and future of his sons life was a major worry.

Harry frowned but then was ushered out of the pantry and given into the likely hands of Mrs Weasley.

James and Sirius remained in the dark room.

"All right, Padfoot, tell me. You know something about why Harry received this vision." James said.

Sirius sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "I shouldn't really tell you, but since you are my best friend, I can't really keep secrets from you, can?"

James grinned. Even as a child, Sirius had never been able to keep a secret, and if brought to the breaking point would spill the beans…just like he had done with Remus' werewolf secret during sixth year, when Snape had provoked him.

"You know that with the scar, Harry has a connection to Voldemort?"

James nodded.

"Well, whenever Voldemort feels angry, happy, or something bad or wonderful happens, Harry feels the changes through his scar. It's become more evident since the end of his fourth year, during the Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament. There's a chance that Voldemort may be able to possess Harry. The connection that they have, allows each other to see into the others thoughts. It is highly possible, that if Harry is being possessed, the dark lord will be able to see who is in the Order. Harry could be giving him information without realising it. Harry is dangerous…as long as we don't know what exactly is happening between those two. If Harry had the impulse to kill Dumbledore, it shows that Voldemort may have some grip on Harry's mind when he is vulnerable. Most likely when he is alone. We can't let Harry know. Not until Dumbledore believes it is right for him to know the truth."

"I don't like keeping things from Harry. You know that." James replied.

"I know." Sirius gripped his friends shoulder. "But in order to protect him, we have to."

* * *

After Harry had rested, the Potters and the Weasley's decided to take a trip to St. Mungo's to see Arthur. Sirius had to remain behind. 

They took the train part of the way to the hospital and then walked the rest of the way. James was equally surprised that Harry had never been in the hospital before. As they stopped in front of a window, with an ugly doll in the middle of it, and Tonks leaned forward to admit entrance to the hospital, which was magical concealed behind it, James felt his memory launching him back into the past, to his last visit to the hospital…

…the day Harry was born.

_James gently wheeled Lily into main ward, quickly pushing the wheelchair, crying aloud: "I've got a very pregnant wife here!" _

_Immediately a healer came rushing forward, directing them to the birthing ward. Lily was quite along. Their baby was due any minute. _

"_Mr Potter, can you please leave." A nurse said. "We would like to deliver the baby."_

"_I can't leave her." James pleaded. "I love her." _

"_We respect that, but its better for the mother and child if you are not here distracting us from helping them." _

_James swallowed, torn by his conflicting emotions. Wouldn't Lily want him by her side? Then he heard Lily cry out. _

"_I hate you, James Potter, for doing this to me!" _

_Of course, labour was not something a wife did everyday. The pain must be incredible. He glanced past the healer's shoulders and saw Lily, screaming and trying to push the baby out. No matter how he wanted to be there for her, he knew he couldn't be. He nodded. _

"_I'll stay. Just let me know when the baby is born."_

"_We will." the healer closed the doors, leaving James standing by himself in the corridor. He hadn't had much time to alert his friends. _

"Dad?" Harry nudged his father.

"Huh?"

"You were daydreaming." Harry answered.

James shook his head, brushing hair out of his eyes. "No I wasn't. I was remembering. The last time I was here, was the day you were born."

"Didn't I you ever come again?"

"No. Lily brought you here for your injections against disease and stuff. I spent most of my days fighting the war as an Auror. My main priority was making sure that nothing bad happened to you. Fighting as an Auror helped me achieve that goal. It kept us safe for a long while."

Harry swallowed. "Until Halloween 1981."

James turned eyes onto Harry. "Yeah, Halloween. That night, I lost everything. I am proud that you were spared and given a chance to live. No child deserves to die because of some prophecy."

"Prophecy?" Harry asked.

James' eyes widened. "Oh…nothing. Just a slip of the mouth."

"You're keeping something from me." Harry mentioned, green eyes beseeching his father.

Swallowing James said: "Look, there are some things I know that I feel that perhaps you shouldn't know about just yet. When the time is right, I promise I will tell you everything. Please, lets just forget I said anything. I will tell you, I just don't feel ready."

Harry nodded. "All right, dad. I won't bug you about this 'prophecy' but I get the feeling that I am destined to be the one to defeat Voldemort."

_If only you knew that was true, son. _James thought.

* * *

Arthur Weasley was stationed in the Dai Llewellyn Ward that was situated on the first floor of the hospital. As the group stopped in front of the ward doors, Tonks said: "We'll wait outside. Arthur won't want too many visitors at once. Family first." 

Harry moved to stand beside James, but Mrs Weasley grabbed him by the arm. "Don#t be silly, Harry, Arthur wants to see you too."

Harry nervously turned to glance at his father, but James nodded. "Go on. I'll come in with the others later."

He watched Harry disappear through the door and into the ward. James turned to Mad-Eye Moody, who had also accompanied them to the hospital. He swallowed. "I nearly told him, Moody."

His magical eye swivelled, not understanding what the elder Potter meant. "What do you mean?"

James gulped. "I sort of said to Harry about the Prophecy." He whispered.

Moody frowned. "That was not a good idea."

"I know. I want him to know, but I can see why Dumbledore won't let him know. I was just so angry that it came out. I didn't tell him about it, but he suspects something, I know that at least." James sighed, brushing a hand through his messy black hair. "I should really control my mouth."

"If you say, you didn't mean it, then I believe you." Moody responded, his gaze fixed on James.

"I'm glad someone believe me at least." James said. "I get the feeling Harry doesn't trust me."

"He doesn't know you. Give him time," Moody explained, "I'm sure Potter will see you as his father soon enough."

James gave a laugh. "Padfoot makes a better father then me. He knows Harry better!"

* * *

Arthur sat up in bed, looking at James. After initially passing news, the two had not said a word to each other. James was at a loss, as was Arthur. The others were currently outside tending with the Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and the twins. 

"James," Arthur began.

"Hmm?"

"I just want to say thank you."

"What for?" James asked, dumbfounded.

"For raising Harry."

"But I didn't." James reminded him. Had the attack made Arthur loony?

"I know that," Arthur replied, a slight smile on his lips. "but you have been with Harry in spirit, just as Lily remains with you. Your memory that resides in him, showed himself most clearly when he made sure that someone come to my rescue. If no one had believed him then I would be dead. It is yours and Lily's qualities that helped save me. If Harry didn't have you as a father, then I firmly believe that he would've ignored that vision and believed it to be a dream. It takes courage to understand whether dreams are real or not. And that James, is why I am thanking you. You may have missed out on Harry's childhood, but those qualities that Harry has, has helped him be raised in a manner to help anyone. And it is that I am thanking you for. Without you as a father, James, whether you were there or not does not matter. You and Lily have a lasting impact on Harry, no matter what. I am glad I have the pleasure of meeting Harry and you."

James smiled sadly. "I just wish I could've been there for Harry. I could've prevented all of this from happening. If only I hadn't been so stupid in switching Secret Keepers. If Sirius had remained Secret Keeper, things would be different. He would never have betrayed me. I just didn't see it with Peter, either."

"Those closest to us can change within a blink of an eye." Arthur reminded him.

"I know." muttered the other.

Arthur bit his lip, as if considering how to phase his next question. Finally he asked: "What will you do if you found Peter? You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

"It's okay." James replied, frowning. "I don't know what I'd do. It would depend on the circumstances. I'd rather take him alive so that I can free Sirius, but if it came down to it, then I'd probably kill him if he meant harm to those I care most about."

"At least you are not considering killing him straight away. It shows you are healed."

"Healed?"

"From death. If you are willing to allow the person who caused your death to live, then that shows that you are not vengeful. The people who you care about is your main priority. I'm glad that I had faith in you."

"Thanks. Peter deserves to die, but I have to free Sirius and understand why he would betray me, only then would I decide whether I would want to take his life myself." James whispered, "Only time will tell."

* * *

James wandered the halls of St Mungo's hospital, looking for something to do. Harry and the others had gone exploring. His conversation with Arthur had opened his mind. He had never thought he would admit he would spare Peter's life. But did he really mean that? 

That had been the first time he had spoken about the man who had betrayed him. Was he willing to take this mans life, without first hearing his reasons? Could he really take a friend's life away, even though his had been taken without any remorse? If Peter Pettigrew had ever cared he would've turned himself into the Ministry and not framed Sirius for murder. James frowned, his mind conflicted with what he would really do if he ever met with Wormtail again.

Slowly he made his way back to Grimmauld Place, completely ignoring Sirius and Remus as he entered through the front door and walked up to his room, sending himself flat onto his bed.

There was a knock on his door, but he ignored it. Finally a voice echoed through the door.

"Come on Prongs! Open up!" Sirius shouted.

James remained silent, willing for him to go away. He didn't want to speak to anyone. He needed to sort through his thoughts.

"Alohomora!"

James heard Remus' voice chant the spell, unlocking his door. His two friends walked in and regarded him with wide surprise.

Sirius moved forward. "All right, Prongs, you're going to tell us exactly what's got you so down."

"Wormtail." James responded.

Sirius' eyes darkened and he growled. "That rat."

Remus elbowed him, stepping forward and sitting next to James, who still lay flat out on his bed. "Do you mind informing us of Wormtail?"

"I can't really keep it from you, can I?" remarked James, a small grin sliding onto his face.

Remus shrugged. "You can try."

"I know." James sighed and sat up. "I spoke to Arthur at the hospital. He asked me what I would do if I ever met Peter again."

"Kill him, I hope." Sirius interjected.

James frowned. "That's what I wouldn't do. I'd spare him because that would mean getting you freed. If I could do anything, it would be to protect Harry and to see you free and leading a normal life. Not on the run. If I killed Peter, he cannot admit the truth."

"Wouldn't it depend on the situation?" Remus asked. "If it was a battle and he tried to kill you, then would you strike him down?"

"I don't know." James shrugged his shoulders. "I'm conflicted inside. I have no clue. My heart tells me that I wouldn't kill him, but my head tells me I should."

Remus put a hand on his friend's shoulders. "Then you would follow the way of your heart, for that is what is truly right. Even if killing Peter would satisfy your thirst for avenging Lily, it wouldn't help you or Sirius. You may even feel guilty about taking his life, without knowing why he did betray you."

Sirius snorted. "We know why he betrayed James: to save his own filthy skin! He didn't care about Harry and he never cared about the rest of us."

"We cannot assume that." Remus responded. "He may have said something like that when we met him before, Padfoot, but what if he said that only to stall the real reason behind it all? Perhaps there was something more to him turning to Voldemort's side in the first place."

"Highly unlikely." Sirius muttered, his arms crossed. He would not believe it. What other reason could Peter have then to save his own skin? It would make no sense then!

"Look, I'm just thinking about what I would do that is all. I'd make up my mind when I got to that point." James interrupted. "Now that I've told you, do you mind leaving so I can think without people crowding me."

Remus glanced at Sirius who nodded his approval.

"If you need us James, you know where we are." Remus said, quietly.

James nodded. "Yeah, I'll come down later. Tell Harry that I'd rather be left alone tonight."

Moony and Padfoot left Prongs alone.

* * *

Christmas day dawned. James made an effort to include himself in the days activity's, which was going to St Mungo's to see Arthur. He felt uncomfortable sitting with Molly, as the two talked about personal issues, and excusing himself, he left the ward to have a wander round the hospital. He hadn't had that much of a chance to explore it properly. 

They had exchanged gifts that morning. James had received many presents from those in the Order, most giving him books on looking after a troublesome teenager. Though he appreciated the irony, he found it hard to accept that Harry was on longer his little baby anymore, instead he was old enough to look after himself. In a few years Harry would be graduating and going out into the wide world all by himself.

He dreaded that day when he would have see Harry walk out of his life, so that he wouldn't be able to see him everyday. Harry meant the world to him.

Harry and Sirius' and Remus' gift had been the best. They all knew he was a fanatic on Quidditch and all three had come together and bought him a brand new broom, a Firebolt, that equalled Harry's. Along with that they had also had a Potteresque Quidditch kit made specially for James, which he treasured, knowing that his friends and son had spent a lot of money to give him the Christmas he had needed.

He stopped at the fourth floor, hearing voices that he recognised. Peering through the door he saw Harry and the others being escorted by a man's bed who looked a little lost but had thousands of pictures of himself smiling and waving all around. James frowned. Who was this man? Why was Harry speaking to him?

He stepped into the ward and made his way to the bed. Harry looked up as he arrived and grinned.

"Why, you're twins!" the man with golden looks said.

Hermione let out a laugh, covering her mouth quickly as she caught Harry's scowl.

"Excuse me?" James asked bewildered. "Twins?"

"Yes, you too. You look exactly alike!"

James exchanged a look with Harry and a sly grin came across his face. Very well he would play along, if only for this man's amusement. After all, it seemed like something had gone wrong with this man's memory, especially if he had no clue to who James Potter was.

"Yes, I am James Potter, and this is my younger twin Harry."

Harry stood up. He was nearly as tall as his father, so they could easily pass for twins, despite the small age different, there was nothing else that could tell them apart, save for the scar on Harry's head and his eye colour.

Harry whispered. "What are you doing?"

"Just having a little play along," James replied, hoping that Harry would let him. After all he needed to have fun at some point. "So, who are you?"

"Me, why, I am astounded you don't know who I am! Everyone else does!"

"I've been detained for the last several years." James said apologetically.

"James," Harry said, careful not to say dad, "this is Professor Gildory Lockhart, you know the Defence teacher who I told you about when I was in second year?"

James nodded. "Ah, yes," even though Harry hadn't said anything. He knew about the Chamber of Secrets but hadn't know that a Professor had been involved. He would have to quiz Harry later on about this person.

"Autograph?" Lockhart asked, handing out a photo with a signature written on to it.

James took it, grinning. "Eh…thanks. It's just what I've always wanted."

By now the others were chuckling, trying to hide their grinning faces.

"I knew you'd be delighted! Admit it, you think I look good?"

_He's got a rather high opinion of himself. _James thought.

"Yes, it is your looks that have enticed me." James replied.

"Excellent!"

The conversation was suddenly stopped by Ron's shouting of 'Neville!'. Sure enough, Neville Longbottom and his Grandmother was just coming down the ward from the end. James felt his heart skip a beat; if Neville was here then that meant his parents were down the bottom.

"Friends of yours, Neville?" the Grandmother asked.

Neville was looking at his feet.

"Yes, I know you, Harry Potter." she shook Harry's hand, "And you two are Weasley's. I know your parents…decent folk they are. And you must be Hermione Granger. Neville has told me that you help him a lot when he is stuck. I am grateful."

Then she turned to James. "And you must be the incredible James Potter, the one to survive death."

He swallowed nervously. "Yeah, I am."

"I suppose you heard about Frank and Alice from other Order members?"

"I did," James replied.

"What?" Ron asked.

"Dear me, has Neville not told you?" his grandmother looked shocked.

She then explained to the others what had happened to Neville's parents. All of them were deeply shocked.

Once the Longbottoms had left, Ron turned to Harry had said: "I never knew."

"I did, but I promised not to say anything." Harry said. "Dumbledore told me last year."

"Who did that to them then?" Hermione asked, quietly.

"Bellatrix Lestrange." Harry replied.

Hermione asked. "That woman Kreacher's got a photo of in his den?"

Harry nodded. "I'm sorry."

"Come on," James perked up, "We'd better go back."

As they left the ward, Lockhart shouted out after them. "Look, I didn't learn joined up writing for nothing, you know!"

James sighed, turned back and picked up the autograph's, then went on his way.

**TBC**

**This chapter was fun to write…I hope you enjoyed it! **

**Thank you's go to the following: **SpellMasters; shannyauburn; Dark Angel's Blue Fire; krissygurl; dorkforlife; PrincessSkywalkerOrgana; magicgirl45852; Loonie Potter; RoschLupin-Black (you'll find out in 2 chapters time about the probation issue); Eric2; IamSiriusgrl; realpyromaniac; The Kaizeress; Lunatic Pandora1; supernova8610; JTBJAB; nogoalielikeme; ambereyes2873; faeriekittie306animelover; emuerz; missy mee; Daftlime; School-of-Rock101; **and** zippyfox.

**Ace Ryn Knight: **Don't envy me that I've seen Ep3. I envy everyone else who are seeing at this minute as I would like to see it again and I can't. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the film when you get a chance to see it! And the book is thoroughly interesting as I read it about a month in advance, so I ruined everything for me, but the film was still enjoyable!

**HarryxJames: **I'm afraid I can't tell you if James or Sirius is going to die. I'm still in the process of deciding.

**RSegovia: **I am glad you decided to speak your mind about the last chapter and how you were displeased with it. Your comments were very well received. The last chapter had to be done that way, and I am sorry for that if you found it rather tedious and boring. Hopefully this chapter was a bit better? James and Harry are still in awe of each other, not quite believing it yet, but the bridge between them is rapidly closing. James has still got many secrets and some of those will be revealed in the coming chapters. In fact I am planning on changing something dramatically later. As you know that Sirius dies in the book, I am not sure if I really want to do that here, but I feel that I'll be deviating from the book and until I've read HBP I can't make a decision, so I'm stuck on whether he should survive or not. I want to stick as close as I can to the original plot but I don't want to kill him off…I know this is a lot to ask of you, but I was wondering if you could give me some input? Thank you for your constructive review. It has made me rethink some aspects of my story.

**Suicidal Bunnies: **I'm not decided yet on whether Sirius should die or not.

**Lilac: **If your planning on writing stories with your friends then a joint account is a good idea. If not then don't bother. That's just my view.

**Padfoot's Sidekick: **Umbridge will be getting some sort of comeuppance in Chapter 29 through James and Sirius!

**littlewolf-moony: **I only updated because I'd seen the new Star Wars film and I was in a good mood. I also thought you lot deserved a treat, especially after all the reviews you've given me so far! Umbridge won't discover our canine friend until chapter 29 and that is when things get messy. You'll have to wait and see if they are put on Probation. That information is coming soon…in 2 chapters. He didn't know about Thestrals because he wasn't taught them by his CoMC teacher at Hogwarts. Hagrid is different and would show the students dragons if he could. Oh, poor you, I hope you're nice and cool. I have a nice cold garage with a freezer if you want to image yourself in them. Lots of ice cream too! Thank you for your review!

**Next chapter: Occlumency! **More mystery is added to the puzzle of why James came back…**available on June 11th 2005! **

**Thank you for the massive support so far!**

**MissBlackPotter**


	24. Occlumency

**I decided to update earlier then I said I would as I have a whole day off school before my exam tomorrow. You guys and girls have waited long enough for this so here is my little treat for you! Though that means the next chapter won't be up until the 18th June. **

**This chapter is shorter then my previous chapters but it should be worth it as more mysteries regarding James' return start to appear…answers will be coming soon…Enjoy! **

* * *

**Prongs Rides Again**

**Chapter Twenty-Four: Occlumency **

James walked through Hogwarts corridors. It was still the Christmas holidays, however he had been summoned by Dumbledore, so James had left Grimmauld Place and travelled to Hogwarts. He had no idea what the headmaster wanted to speak to him about, but he knew deep down that it had something to do with Harry.

It always did. He could clearly remember the day when Dumbledore had informed him and Lily about the Prophecy and the affects it would have on his son's life.

_And to think that Prophecy now rules his future…his decisions…though he doesn't know it. _

He could understand why Dumbledore chose to keep it from Harry, but he wished he could've had a say in it himself. His son would need to know by his sixth year, James would make sure of that.

He reached the headmaster's office, said the password, and walked up the steps as the gargoyle turned. Knocking on the door, he opened it and stepped inside.

Albus Dumbledore sat at the desk, holding a quill in his right and writing a letter. His half moon glasses had slipped down his nose. He looked up as James entered, a faint smile on the tip of his lips.

"Ah…James." He clasped his hands together, "please sit down."

James seated himself in front of the desk, waiting patiently for his employer to speak.

"I want to inform you about what I have decided to do about Harry,"

James perked up, his hazel eyes shining. Did Dumbledore mean what James thought he meant?

Sadly, and unfortunately, Dumbledore quashed those hopes. "I will not inform Harry of the Prophecy until the end of the year, and only then, if I feel he is ready to accept the burden. I know it is hard for you to hear this, James, but I do not think it is necessary for your son to hear the Prophecy. The less he knows of it, the more chance he has of succeeding by chance."

James gritted his teeth. "If you don't tell him by his sixth year, I will tell him myself. I've already promised myself I would. I cannot break that."

Dumbledore sighed. "James…I know I cannot stop you, but when you come to do that, if you do, then please think carefully about how you phrase it. If said wrongly then Harry may get the wrong interpretation of it. I don't want to hurt him more then he already has been. With you here, James, you are valuable to us as an asset to protect him."

Swallowing James asked the question that had been gnawing on his mind since he had returned. "Why have I returned then?"

"I have no idea, James." The headmaster frowned. "I am researching it but there has been no record of it for thousands of years. No one has returned from the dead. I think that the reason has something to do with Lily's sacrifice and Harry's wish. I cannot say for certain, but I feel that Lily, who loved you more then anyone else, could have possibly bonded you two together with some form of spell."

"She was excellent at charms." James commented.

"Yes," Dumbledore agreed, "and I believe that she found a way to bond you and Harry together. I will tell you more when I know it, just give me a chance to sort through my notes."

James nodded. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Occlumency." Dumbledore answered.

"Occlumency?" James asked.

The headmaster nodded. "Yes, Occlumency. Do you know what it is?"

James shook his head. "No. I've heard of it, but I don't know what its use is for."

"It is a branch of magical defence designed to protect the mind against intrusion. I wish for Harry to be taught this technique, to stop him from receiving visions from Voldemort. He may not be able to determine whether it is real in what he is seeing, if he is not instructed in its use. Mastering Occlumency will enable Harry to sleep better, for I know for a fact that he is plagued by dreams of a strange nature, that are confusing him. If Voldemort wishes to get hold of Harry, all he needs to do is send him a vision of someone he loves being hurt and he will go to that destination, not knowing that it could be a trap. I do not want Harry to face this alone."

The headmaster clasped his hands together. "However before I can issue Occlumency lessons, I would like to have your permission."

"If it saved Harry's life, then yes, I would allow it." James answered. "Would you be teaching him?"

"Sadly, no. I have asked Severus Snape, as he is an expert at Occlumency. If anyone can help Harry, he can."

James stuttered. "But he hates Harry! He wouldn't teach him! He's more likely to open his mind further for Voldemort!"

Dumbledore eyed James carefully through his half-moon glasses. "Do you think I'd be trusting Snape this if I thought he hadn't truly turned to our side?"

James' shoulder slumped. How could he deny that? Snape, after all, had defected during the early 1980s just before Harry had been born. It had been him who had alerted them of the prophecy and received word that Voldemort was going after Harry. If it hadn't been for him, then James would not have known of the threat on his sons life, and it might've been possible that his son would have been killed at the first chance Voldemort had got. But thanks to Snape's information, they had been given extra time to be with their son, no matter how short it had been.

"I suppose you're right." James said in a defeated tone. "If you trust him, then I do. I don't think you'll ever get Sirius convinced though."

"It does not concern him, James. Whatever his thoughts on Snape are, should not influence yours." Dumbledore said. "I can only hope that you three can learn to trust and look out for one another. Whether you like it or not, James, Snape is a valuable asset that has proven useful ever since he left Hogwarts. He has become a great friend. It is time you saw that too."

James was merely silent.

* * *

The Christmas holidays came to a grinding end. Before he even knew it, the students were back at Hogwarts, and James was busy teaching. He hardly had a chance to see Harry, especially with Umbridge breathing down his neck, trying to find ways to get him booted out of the castle. He also suspected that the old bat was spying on him secretly, and whenever he went to his study he made sure to do a spell detecting charm to see if Umbridge had placed any secretly inside his room without his knowledge. However, each time he could find nothing, which he was relieved about. As long as he found no sign of magic being used, then he had no reason to worry about the secrets that he hid being discovered on a whim. 

By the end of the first week he hadn't even been able to speak to Harry, accept during lessons, however Umbridge had continued to inspect the lesson, therefore preventing James from talking quietly with his son. Umbridge seemed intent on talking to him when he passed by Harry. Obviously she hoped that he would say something that would doom him into being kicked out of the school, but James wasn't that stupid.

In the end he had Hagrid pass a note to Harry, during one of the lessons, unnoticed by Umbridge who was watching James deal with Draco Malfoy who had failed to do as instructed and had ended up having his finger shrinking. With the class in fits of laughter, it was easy for Hagrid to pass Harry the note and for him to read it, without fear of discovery.

That evening, James was waiting patiently for his son in the Room of Requirement with Sirius at his side, looking bored. The two rarely spoke. Being with each other most of the day had its advantages, but one of the disadvantages was, was that they both knew what the other had did. The only thing they had to talk about was the news in the Daily Prophet and that was hardly exciting. It was mainly the Prophet slamming the workings of Dumbledore and the way Hogwarts was run. It annoyed James immensely that Fudge would not see the light, and that he was determined to stamp down upon the lies that the headmaster spoke about.

The door to the Room of Requirement opened and in stepped Harry. His black hair was messy, sticking up at the back, exactly like James', if only a little tidier. He grinned when he saw James and Sirius.

"Hey."

James crossed his arms. "All right, kiddo, tell me about Occlumency."

Harry had had his first lesson the day after term had started.

"Well," Harry shuffled his feet unsure of how to proceed. "Um…"

Sirius interrupted. "Don't tell me…Snape was an ugly git as usual."

"Padfoot!" James scowled.

Stifling a laugh, Harry continued, "He said that I wasn't making an effort. He claimed that I wasn't trying hard to enough to stop him from penetrating my mind. He said it was easy that he found it a miracle that I could fend off the Imperious Curse like I did."

"And Snape said he would try not to insult you." James murmured. He had managed to ask Snape to not insult Harry during Occlumency, however that had now been proven to be a useless attempt. It appeared that Snape, no matter how much he was trying to be civil, just couldn't be kind to anyone. But then James could hardly blame him for that. Harry wouldn't have that problem if he hadn't been such a bully to Snape.

"Fat chance that did." Remarked Sirius.

"You'll have to keep trying, Harry. Occlumency is a very hard form of magic. Not many Wizards can do it, and only the best are capable." James explained.

"Can you do it?" Harry asked.

"No...but I did learn that my father, your grandfather, was excellent at it." James sourly noted. Dumbledore had informed him that his father, Harold Potter, had been a master at the practice of Occlumency, but had never had the chance to teach his son.

"I wish you knew how dad," Harry asked, hope pouring into his eyes. "You'd be much better then Snape."

"Professor Snape has had a lot more practice then I have." James reminded him. "I have no need to use it."

"Much as I don't like it," Sirius said, "Prongs has a point. Snivellus has been using this skill for a long time. He's had a lot of practice. It has proved useful over the years as well. He may be a greasy git but he certainly knows how to do Occlumency, maybe even better then Dumbledore himself."

"I trust Snape to help you learn this skill." Said James. "And I hope you will do your best for him."

Harry sighed. "I'll try, but I can't promise I will succeed. Professor Snape doesn't like me."

"I know. But sometimes we have to suffer in order to succeed." James said sadly.

Sirius glanced at James, realising that his friend was suffering over Lily, but he was succeeding in life because of his love for his son. He would die, again, for Harry. Sirius hoped that it wouldn't come to that.

* * *

Screaming. 

James jerked awake, blearily glancing round the room. He, Harry and Sirius were sleeping in the Room of Requirement, as neither of them had wanted to separate. It would've been the first time for any of them to spend any quality family time together.

Harry was tossing and turning under the covers, where he lay on the sofa that James had willed into existence a few hours before.

Sirius was kneeling next to Harry, slapping his face gently, trying to wake him.

Rushing over, James placed a hand on his son's head. Immediately he felt pain tingle up his arm and then explode into his awareness. He heard maniacal laughter and many happy and jubilant emotions ran through his brain.

Voldemort…

His head told him that Voldemort was happy, and that his son could feel this because of the scar that connected him to the Dark Lord. But why could James hear it? He struggled to pull his hand from Harry's forehead but he was stuck. Then from his own mind he heard a cold voice echoing into his thoughts.

_Welcome back James Potter…It is so wonderful to see you again…I shall enjoy killing you again…_

The voice left and James collapsed to the floor, his energy spent. Darkness claimed him.

* * *

"Welcome back, James." 

The soft voice of Albus Dumbledore greeted him as he opened his eyes. James lay in the hospital wing. Beside him was Sirius in his dog form. "Where's Harry?" he asked, the words coming all slurred.

"He is fine and resting in Gryffindor Tower." The headmaster answered.

James worked to find his tongue. "What happened?"

"By touching Harry you experienced what Voldemort was feeling. He was happy because something bad has happened for us, but good for him. I do not know what has happened that he knows, but Voldemort is pleased about something."

"He spoke to me, Voldemort did. He recognised me."

"Ah…yes…you connected yourself to Harry and through that, Voldemort was able to sense you and speak to you. He has been unsure of whether you are truly alive…now he knows for certain that in fact you have returned. He will do anything to destroy you, James."

"How did I become connected in the first place?"

Dumbledore sighed. "I have no idea, James. I am researching as to why you were brought back, and I have a feeling that that it has to do with Lily and Harry and Voldemort in some respect. You and Harry are connected in some way, but I do not see how. When I have answers, I will provide them, but for now, rest James. We cannot have a Care of Magical Creatures teacher, who is unable to keep his eyes open."

James smiled, and then closed his eyes, falling back into a dreamless sleep, as his body worked to restore him back to health. The connection with Harry's mind had weakened him considerably.

**TBC**

**So James has a connection with Harry…unfortunately no one has answers for him, yet! **

**Thank you's go to the following people: **JTBJAB; shazia)Riavera; Harry Potter Gater-girl; Skyshifter; ambereyes2873; SpellMasters; Suicidal Bunnies; RoschLupin-Black; sirius'girl4eva99; The Kaizeress; Loonie Potter; Devilangel05; IamSiriusgrl; faeriekittie306 animelover; zippyfox; Lunatic Pandora1; supernova8610; jabarber69; amrawo; dweem-angel; oxymoronique; Crazy-Physco; emuerz; bandgsecurtiyaw; missy mee; shannyauburn; Sylvia Helm; **and **Padfoot's Sidekick.

**Silverspecter: **I know hoe you feel about being busy. I have been as well so I haven't been able to review people's stories (like yours). I'll try and get some comic relief in but it will be difficult as we are getting to the rather depressing parts of the story!

**HarrysGrl: **Don't worry if the review took so long! I don't mind! I'm not writing for reviews, I'm writing for fun and to share a story in a different way. Peter will come into play sometime in the future and he and James will meet eventually. But the question is whether James will kill him or will he choose to save him? Unfortunately I can't say yet. We won't see the Pensieve scene but we will hear James' version of it. But that won't be happening until Chapter 28. And I'm still deciding whether Sirius will survive or die. I do hope whatever way I go with that, I won't lose readers. A lot have requested for him to survive so I have no idea what to do! Thanks for your review!

**Dark Angel's Blue Fire: **I'm still in the process of deciding whether Sirius lives or dies.

**RSegovia: **You can flame me or criticise me as much as you want. The more you do the more I'll improve! I will take your advice, and there will be action coming very soon. We are in the stage where things have to be dragged out and explained in a sense in order for me to continue into the action. In five chapters time the action will start…please try to wait it out. I know five weeks is a long time but everything should begin to fall into piece in the next few chapters. The stories you suggested I have already read and I admire those authors for the hard work they have put into the stories. I am trying and learning along the way. I will try not to copy much text from the book. It will be only rarely from now on. Thank you for the review!

**Lady Taliesin: **I was going to email you and say you haven't reviewed Chapter 22, but I decided that it would be best to let you revise. Don't apologise for picking out my mistakes, as you say its good practice for your English exams. One of these days I will go back and edit the whole story, but that's only when it is finished (and who know's when that will be!) Yes, James was there when his parents were murdered (according to me that is, whether he was in JKR's version, we'll have to see) but we will learn more about Harry's grandparents in this story later on. The double-twin thing going on, yeah, I have two friends at school (two girls) who are twins but they are not identical. One is football mad (reminds me of you actually) and the other is all into making herself look good, totally opposite to each other. But these twins actually can do the double twin thing even though you know which one is which as they are not identical. Hopefully that made sense….Another grammar mistake! Thanks for pointing it out! Yeah we will add Kreacher to the hate club, if you want. Yes, Molly is Harry's godmother and will be for a long time. Good question about Harry and the pantry…here's my answer…maybe he likes it in there. It's so secluded that no one can bother him…I'll try and be a bit more creative…Yes, I think Dumbledore was a but of an idiot, especially keeping things from Harry and James as well…hehe. James has yet to learn the tact of keeping his mouth shut…and I doubt he'll be learning that anytime soon. Ahh, about Harry and St Mungos. Everyone had been to St Mungos apart from Harry (who can't remember as he was a new born baby then) and James has automatically assumed that Harry would go to St Mungos for illnesses and stuff. He's completely forgotten that Harry was raised by the Dursleys. He thinks that since Harry was a wizard that he would use the magic hospital and we all know what the Dursleys think of magic…hopefully that clears that confusion up! I agree with you that the sentence (I know the one you mean) is way too long and fragmented. I re wrote it a dozen times and I ended up just leaving it like that as nothing would work. About James not being in the delivery room, my mum told me that when she gave birth in 1980 to my older brother, her husband wasn't allowed in, so I was going by that. Whether he was allowed or not I'm not sure…Another typo…whoops. Yes, James let slip about the prophecy. He really does need to keep his mouth shut. About the Harry line where he says he has that feeling, I'm leaving it in, because it is foreshadowing what he is now beginning to guess. He's working it out on his own. I know that you wrote in your review that you said Harry would not say that. He hasn't worked it out but he's guessing and he's also trying to prompt James into telling him about it. However he really has no clue, Harry's going on his experiences with Voldemort in the past. If you want me to change it then I will. I have no problem with it, I just felt I had to justify why I would like to keep it in. I don't think Sirius has any parenting abilities…James is undecided on Wormtail's fate. They will be meeting very soon…hmmm, you really love the Marauders don't you (save for Wormtail?) The Order doesn't mix well with Christmas either. A rather long review and took me more then 30 minutes to reply to, but then I don't mind. If you wrote a 20 pages review I'd still reply, though probably through e-mail though…Once again thanks for the good luck for my exams (by the time you've read this, I would have finished them all). Phew now that this response is done I can now write more story!

**Next chapter: On Probation** in which James gets bad news and Hermione and Ron ask James for a favour. Coming on **Saturday 18th June! **

**Farewell and thanks for all the fish! (I just couldn't resist - Hitchhikers is a great film, anyone who hasn't seen it should!) **

**MissBlackPotter**


	25. On Probation

**A shorter chapter, I'm afraid. Thanks for all the support so far! I love reading your responses to this story! **

**Prongs Rides Again**

**Chapter Twenty-Five: On Probation**

"You should read this, Padfoot," James said, tossing the Daily Prophet at his friend, who caught it and rolled it open.

Sirius' eyes widened as he read the main headline. "Mass breakout from Azkaban. Ministry fears Black is 'rallying point' for old Death Eaters." He stared at it, dumbfounded. "How…why can they think that? Why would I be involved in helping her escape?"

James glanced at the picture of Bellatrix Lestrange, one of the Death Eaters that had escaped from the prison. "I think they're basing that assumption on the fact that she is your cousin."

"And it doesn't occur to them that I was once an Auror?" Sirius asked.

James shook his head. "Obviously not. Since the public is unwilling to believe anything I say, it's likely that the Daily Prophet serves as the truth reader." He sighed. "Sooner or later Fudge will have to admit that Voldemort has risen again, and will have to hear you out. You can't remain here as a dog for the rest of your life."

Sirius scowled. "At least I'm not stuck in that house."

"Good point." James muttered.

Sirius was now reading the article and he was muttering every so often, his voice rising high in disbelief at what he read. The nerve of what people could read and believe astounded him beyond anything. He hoped fervently that one day he would be able to tell the truth to everyone, and that he could someday be accepted back into society and become an Auror again.

"…have rallied round Black as their leader." Sirius repeated. "What rubbish! It'll be a miracle if Bella ever does what I say!"

James sniggered remembering a particular incident during their years at Hogwarts which had involved Bellatrix, a box of chocolates, a broomstick and a love potion. _The good old days. _

"What are you laughing for?"

"Just reminiscing the old days."

"Must be something good."

"Trust me, it was." James grinned.

* * *

News of the Death Eaters escape spread round the school. Where ever James went, he heard from students various tales of how they had escaped. It constantly annoyed him that the students thought that Sirius had been a part of the plot to free them. If only they knew the truth. 

"Professor Potter?"

James stopped in his stroll and turned to face the speaker. It was Umbridge. He rolled his eyes. Why couldn't she leave him alone?

"Yes, Dolores?" he asked, trying to sound polite, but knowing that he failed miserably.

She handed him a piece of paper. "Your inspection results."

James unrolled it and began to read. He became angry as he read, and when he was done he glared at Umbridge with indefinably hatred, lurking within his hazel depths.

"Probation?" he spat, appalled that Umbridge would do anything like that.

She nodded, a nasty grin spreading across her features. "Yes, Mr Potter. I have found your teaching methods to be unsatisfactory. I fear that the students are not reaching their full potential."

"I don't believe this!" James bellowed. "I'm following the guidelines set down by Dumbledore! What more can I do? Adhere to how you want them to be taught, without learning physical magic?"

Umbridge's eyes slit. "There is no need for the students to learn practical defense. Our world is safe…there is nothing that can harm them…nor will there ever will be."

James gritted his teeth. "Then what about the Triwizard Tournament last year?" he asked. "What about what happened to my son?"

"Your son is nothing more then a nasty little liar who is an attention seeking brat. You should teach him to tell the truth, then maybe society will accept him better then they have done. All that famous talk has gotten to his head!"

In an instant James had his wand out. He didn't care if he was fired: all he wanted to do was harm the person who dare criticise his son. "How dare you? You don't know half of what my son has suffered through. I should've been there for him, but I couldn't. My life was taken from me, and my son was forced to grow up with Muggles. Harry is one of the strongest people I know, and if you won't hear him out, then I am afraid I am against you. Fudge is a fool to believe otherwise! Someone needs to open his eyes to the truth! And then maybe we can take the precautions that the Wizarding World needs to in order to survive the war that Voldemort is stirring. He's already winning if we don't act now and prepare ourselves."

"It is impossible for someone to return from the dead." Umbridge said, her eyes staring.

James smirked. "Then what was I? Alive in a coffin? No, I was dead and now I'm alive, unless you think I'm still an imposter?"

"You stole those memories. Whoever you are, I will find out soon enough, and then your precious son can see who you really are inside. I know you are not James Potter. No one can return from the dead." She turned on her heel and left, James staring at her retreating back in anger and revulsion.

* * *

"She put you on probation?" Sirius asked. 

James sighed, brushing his hair back with his right hand. "Yeah…here." he shoved the letter at his friend who read it.

Once he was done reading, Sirius glanced up and met his friend's eyes. "And she's basing this on…what?"

"Apparently the students aren't receiving the education they need." James replied, anger evident in his voice.

Sirius' eyes darkened. "You're following the rules! What else can you do?"

"Apparently follow them to the extreme that I should deviate from following them." remarked James. "She's got it in for me, Sirius. Sooner or later you're going to be discovered and I'm going to be imprisoned for working against the Ministry. I pretty much told her I was anyway. I just got so angry…"

"Everyone's fed up with her. Heck, I'm amazed you haven't cursed her at least a dozen times since you met her."

James grinned. "Much as it is tempting, I simply cannot, since if I did then I really would be sent away, and I've promised Harry I'd be there for him. I just can't abandon him like I did on Halloween."

"James, you died. You didn't abandon him, you died to save him, to give him a chance at life. And you succeeded."

"Maybe," James sighed, "but Lily is gone."

"And she died to protect Harry." Sirius reminded him. "And now you're here to give him more protection. Live with what you can James. You may suddenly leave us again, but whatever you do, don't regret Halloween. That wasn't your fault. It was Wormtail for betraying you."

"I know." James fell silent, his thoughts focused on the past. If only he could set things right…

* * *

A few days later Umbridge set another decree. James was annoyed that Umbridge was going to such lengths to stop people from even considering that Voldemort was loose again. This latest decree meant that no teacher could give information to the students that were not related to his or her subject. Technically James wasn't even allowed to speak to Harry as father and son, but that didn't stop him. Thankfully Dumbledore overruled Umbridge's attempt to have James kept away from Harry. She didn't have control over what James did during his spare time, and he could tell that that annoyed her a lot. 

Umbridge had taken to popping up in the most ridiculous places. She seemed to be spying on him. He was worried that Umbridge might just barge into his room one day and find Sirius, so at Dumbledore's encouragement, he placed spells on his classroom and quarters so that he could be warned when she was coming. He had the wards programmed to recognise her from a corridor away. If Sirius was in human form, it would give him a chance to transform and hide the fact that he was even at Hogwarts.

Dolores Umbridge didn't even suspect a thing. She thought she had James cornered, and it frustrated her that whenever she caught James, the dog was by his side. By the look she was giving Sirius, James had a funny feeling that she knew who he was. All she needed was to see him to believe it. Things were getting tricky.

One mistake could have James arrested. He was determined to not fail his son, if he did, he had no idea what he would do.

Harry was too important to him, for him to lose like he had lost Lily.

* * *

"How's Occlumency going?" James asked as he passed Harry a cup of tea. They sat in his office, having decided to meet every week to see how the other was going on. 

Harry sighed. "Not very well. I don't think Snape is helping me."

"Dumbledore told me that you and him don't get along."

"That's true." Responded Harry.

"What's wrong with how he's teaching Occlumency?"

"I can't get the hang of it. If I do the slightest thing wrong he gets angry. I'm beginning to think he's not on our side but on Voldemort's."

James scowled, his hazel eyes seeking out Harry's green ones. "He is on our side. Harry…" he faltered, "…I shouldn't tell you this, but I feel you must understand."

"Understand what?" Harry asked seriously.

"Snape saved your life once." James stated.

"What…?"

James nodded. "Yes. Snape told Dumbledore that Voldemort was after you. He warned us so that we could find a safe place to live and protect you. He is the reason that you are alive today. He is the reason why we know Voldemort is after you."

"And why is he after me?" Harry asked.

"I can't tell you…not yet anyway…not until we know for sure." James knew that Harry was the boy of the prophecy, but Harry didn't have to know that. Not yet at least.

"You know something, dad, and you're keeping it from me." Harry accused. "Can't you trust me?"

"I can but Dumbledore doesn't want you to know until he is certain!"

"Certain about what?" Harry stood up, fuming. He was fed up of being in the dark.

"Whether you are the one who will defeat Voldemort." James whispered. "We don't know if that scar means something. There's a possibility that you are the only Wizard alive who is capable of defeating Voldemort."

Harry was stunned. Finally he stammered. "And this is why you've kept me in that dark? Because you don't know?"

James nodded. "Please understand."

"I was in the dark for eleven years before I even discovered what this scar meant." He pointed to his forehead. "I have a right to know what my future might entail. Whenever you are ready father to tell me the whole truth, I will be waiting."

And then Harry left.

James sagged, unsure of what to do. Would Harry ever talk to him again?

* * *

Harry sobbed, sitting on his bed in Gryffindor Tower. He never cried but he had to let it go. Why was people keeping things from him? Ever since James had accidentally informed him of a Prophecy, Harry's mind had been spinning. His father hadn't said what the Prophecy had entailed, but Harry was fairly certain that it meant he would have to fight Voldemort to his very last breath. 

_I need to know the truth…_Harry thought, _I can't go on like this not understanding. If my father truly cared would he keep it from me? _

"He would if he wanted to protect you."

Harry looked up into the darkness. Standing there was James. "Go away, I have nothing to say to you." he turned his back on him.

James sighed. "I'm trying to protect you, Harry. I want to tell you everything, but there are some parts that not even I understand. Please, Harry, I do not want to keep these things from you, but sometimes a parent has to do that in order to protect his family. I made a terrible mistake in 1981. I lost you and Lily, and I have been given another chance." he shrugged his shoulders, "Even I have no idea why I have returned. You have to give me a chance to work things out. I love you Harry, I don't want anything bad to happen to you. I would never forgive myself."

Harry listened not looking at his father. As he heard his father move silently away, Harry turned to look at his retreating back. He sighed, exasperated.

Finally…

"Dad?"

James looked back. "Yes?"

"Answer me this question."

James nodded. "Go ahead."

"Am I the only one this Prophecy speaks of?"

"No. There is another. The Prophecy does state that there is more then one person capable of defeating Voldemort. I do know who that person is, but I can not divulge anything." James said.

"So this Prophecy may not be related to me?" Harry asked.

James nodded. "Yes, but I have a feeling that I have been brought back because of that prophecy. Dumbledore is working it out."

Harry smiled lightly. "Thanks dad. At least you are letting me know some facts."

"Are we still father and son?" James asked, knowing that is was a stupid question.

"Would I really pass up the chance to get to know my father?" Harry questioned, green eyes twinkling.

* * *

Things between Harry and James fled into place. A new understanding had become between them. Harry had realised that his father had to keep some things from him in order to protect him, and he hoped that one day James would reveal to him what he knew. But since the little argument, their father and son bond had grown stronger. 

Something magical was going on and seemed to be connecting them together. Something was weaving them like stitches on a sewing machine. Yet neither of them knew how important this bond would come to be in the coming days. Everything depended on it.

* * *

When James returned from his nightly walk with Sirius, he found Hermione Granger waiting for him outside his office. She seemed relieved when they finally appeared and asked if she could speak to James privately in his office. Agreeing, he let Harry's young friend into his room, and told her to sit. 

"What is it?"

Hermione shuffled in her seat, unsure of where to start. Finally she settled for a simple question: "Are you coming to Hogsmeade on Valentine's Day?"

James nodded. "Yes, Sirius and Remus and I are meeting up and going to go exploring, why?"

"Oh…it's just that I was wondering if you'd be able to meet me in the Three Broomsticks around midday."

"Is there a particular reason why?" James pressed.

Hermione bit her lip. "Rita Skeeter is going to be there. I've asked her if she would be willing to tell the Wizarding World the truth about you and Harry. I want to publish an article telling the world your views. You may even be able to rally support for Sirius' release." She added.

"The idea is interesting." James stroked his chin. "I like the idea. I've been wanting to rebel for ages. It would definitely give Umbridge something to get annoyed about." He turned to Sirius. "What do you think? Shall I?"

Sirius nodded. "Do it mate. Tell the world your story."

"I'm just worried that if I did this interview, people wouldn't believe it."

"The people who will are the people who know you." Sirius answered. "I know it was you because you, James Potter, resemble many of the characteristics that my old friend had. You've changed in death, but I know you are the real one because our friendship is that deep. If you weren't James Potter, I would know."

"How?" James asked incredulously.

"Simple. You miss Lily. I know for a fact that whenever you are alone Lily is in your thoughts. If you weren't upset about her not being here, then I would be worried I was sharing a room with an imposter."

"I'm glad that we have an understanding between us." James remarked, grinning slightly. He turned back to Hermione who was waiting patiently for his answer. "Yes, Hermione, I will do this interview. I may have a few things I do not agree with, but I support the idea. I only hope it doesn't involve me getting suspended from Hogwarts for telling the truth, as we all know Umbridge will brand me an 'imposter' and a 'liar'."

"She has so much faith in the Potter line, doesn't she?" Sirius added.

James rolled his eyes.

* * *

The day of the Hogsmeade trip arrived. James and Sirius in dog form left the Castle at the same time as the students. Meeting up with Remus they explored some of their old haunts in the village, and by midday James was ready for the Interview. 

Saying goodbye to his companions, who were going off elsewhere, James made his way through the winding streets of Hogsmeade till he came to the Three Broomsticks. The pub was packed with students all buying drinks and getting meals. On the other side of the room was Hermione, a girl who James recognised as Luna Lovegood, Rita Skeeter and of course Harry.

He pulled up a chair, offering his son a slight smile, before glaring at Rita.

"My, my, James Potter." Rita whispered, "so the rumors are true about you."

James ignored her and looked to Hermione.

She clasped her hands together and explained the process. Harry was to tell Rita the truth about Voldemort, while James was to explain how he was James Potter and eventually in the article hoped to get onto the subject of Sirius' sentence and make a bid for his freedom. Rita had been surprised when Hermione mentioned about Sirius' involvement with James, but she kept quiet, and allowed both Potter's to speak truthfully.

Throughout the interview, James was nervous as anything, knowing that whenever the article was published, it would create an uproar within the Wizarding society, and he would be at the centre of it.

**TBC**

**So, James and Harry had an argument and then made up…I hope it wasn't too out of character! Let me know what you think!**

**Thank you's go to the following: **Crazy-Physco; Fixed Pottery; charmedslayers; The Kaizeress; ambereyes2873; IamSiriusgrl; kokomocalifornia; Dark Angel's Blue Fire; Lunatic Pandora1; supernova8610; Daftlilme; oxymoronique; bandgsecurtiyaw; Eric2; Loonie Potter; FK306 animelover; Padfoot's Sidekick; JTBJAB; Alexis Granger; Suicidal Bunnies; zippyfox; emuerz; RoschLupin-Black; kbluesmom; **and** prongspadfoot2003.

**Godfric Potter: **Thank you for your kind comments. I am british, and come from way down in the south east in the UK. I live about an hour away from Dover. And you're from Scotland? I've been there! I love that place!

**TeresaBlackPotter: **You'll have to wait and see how James and Harry are bonded together. I can't promise not to kill Sirius. I'm in the process of deciding however I am waiting to read book 6 before making my final decision. Thank you for reading my fic!

**littlewolf-moony: **About the summary, I think I meant 'particular' as I am referring to a certain event. Thanks for the good luck for my exams. I won't find out my results till August so I've got a while to wait. Thanks for reading!

**empathicallychosen: **There may be plot twists ahead. You'll have to read and find out.

**DoNtLetMeGetMe: **I am still deciding whether to kill Sirius or not. Sorry.

**darkdanny: **Your ideas about Harry are good, but he is different then he is in the original book because of the presence of his father. I'll try not to divert from his character too much but it is difficult. Thank you for the review!

**Lady Taliesin: **Hehehe…yes my last reply was quite long. I had so much to comment on. Well done on your exams! Congrats! Yes, we learn more about Harry's Grandparents later on…if I remember to add it in (its one of those parts in the story where I'm not sure whether it will fit). Ah, no Molly will not stop being Harry's Godmother. I worded that wrong! Sorry! Don't worry about the line you mentioned. I'm not fussed. I just thought I'd give a reason :-) Heh, yeah James will tell Harry about the Prophecy eventually, but Harry knows more now. Ohhh, shiny silver cyber-trophey…thanks…yes, Dumbledore is an employer, and I always refer to people who are top of a management structure and Dumbledore is and I thought it appropriate for him…I don't want James breaking promises. I see him as a loyal person who keeps his word to the best of his ability. It's an issue of trust really. And I break promises all the time…such as I promised myself I would stop reading fanfiction about a year ago, and a year later I'm writing my own and still reading it! More grammar mistakes! DOH! Yes, I made Snape tell the Order about the Prophecy because I feel that in order for him to gain Dumbledore's trust he gave important information to him or confirmed it. I do not think Snape paid his debt back that way, he was only passing information so he wasn't really saving anyone's lives, just giving them a chance to live longer. I hope that makes sense. That's my view on it anyway! Dumbledore means that Sirius is not concerned with the fraud between James/Snape/Harry. He's not part of the pay-back bond, so it doesn't really concern him. James has quite a few spell-detecting charms, but I didn't list them as I don't know any…James and Sirius have nothing to talk about as they are together all day in lessons, whereas when they were at school they were planning pranks upon pranks and James was planning to get Lily, but they can't do that, apart from reminiscence. Still a long review, and a long response…I hope you liked this chapter…and now I'm off to write more story!

**Next chapter: The Quibbler Articles! **In which James and Harry's interviews are published…**This chapter is not completed yet, and as I've got five weeks left of school and we're starting next years courses early, I've got a lot of work to do, so I don't have a lot of time for writing. I will try and update next weekend, but I'm not sure if I will be able to. **

**Thank you for all the reviews so far! **

**MissBlackPotter**


	26. The Quibbler Articles

**AUTHORS RANT: **I've had many questions about whether James or Sirius are going to die. The answer is, I don't know. At the moment the story can either follow HBP with the inclusion of James (when it is released) or I make up my own story for sixth year. Before I make that decision I am waiting to read HBP before deciding whether I can keep Sirius alive or not/and or incorporate him into the HBP story line as well. Please be patient. You'll find out what their fates will be around Chapter 31, I think. I hope this clears that up and stops people asking me whether they are going to die or not, as I simply can't decide yet. Thank you.

**The next few chapters are quite short but Chapter 28 will make up for that…I promise. I'm not too sure about the quality of this chapter…hopefully it is better then I think it is…Enjoy! **

* * *

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the Quibbler article headline.

**Prongs Rides Again**

**Chapter Twenty-Six: The Quibbler Articles**

The two articles were published in the following issue of the Quibbler which was sent to both Harry and James on Monday morning, along with various letters from readers. Umbridge was, thankfully, not in the Great Hall when the post arrived, and so he was able to read the article without any interruption made by the toad.

The front page of the Quibbler had two images. One of Harry and the other of James. The headlines read: **HARRY POTTER SPEAKS OUT AT LAST: THE TRUTH ABOUT HE WHO MUST NOT BE NAMEDAND THE NIGHT I SAW HIM RETURN. **And another headline proclaimed: **DEAD 14 YEARS: JAMES POTTER SPEAKS OUT ABOUT HIMSELF; YOU-KNOW-WHO AND SIRIUS BLACK! **

Eagerly James flipped through the pages till he came to Harry's interview. He read through it taking in each word, and then he turned the next page and began to read what Rita Skeeter had written about him:

**INTERVIEW: JAMES POTTER DEFENDS HIS SON AND SIRIUS BLACK!**

**Fourteen years ago, one of the Wizarding Worlds most talented young men, was murdered by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. On the 2nd August last year, James Potter miraculously returned to the living. Speculation has followed him everywhere, but James Potter has continued with his life, taking up the position of Care of Magical Creatures at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. _The Quibbler _has been given the amazing opportunity to interview Mr Potter…**

**Born to Harold Potter and Natalie Davis, James Christopher Potter made his mark in his early life, already proving that he would be an exceptional wizard. Enrolled in Hogwarts in 1971 and sorted into Gryffindor house, James Potter showed the true qualities that that house requires of him. He was without a doubt loyal until the end, sacrificing himself in attempt to save his beloved wife and son. **

"**Friendship and family are important to me," says James Potter, "I have always relied on my friends to be there for me. They were with me before and now they are with me again. I grew up in a secure environment. My dad might not have been there all the time, but when he was, he aided me whenever he could, so that he could help me understand the pressures of what I would have to take on in life." **

**The pressures for James Potter came quite sudden. The murder of his parents forced him into the position of head of the family. "I was suddenly put in charge of keeping the Potter line alive. Thankfully I had a beautiful girlfriend, Lily Evans, who stayed with me. And our son, Harry. It was family that helped me take control and keep my line alive." **

**As an Auror James proved his skill at magic, managing to defy You-Know-Who three times, and earning a death mark on his head by age 20. "I was afraid when I heard that You-Know-Who was after my family, but I stayed positive by believing in what I could do if that monster every found me or my Lily or my son." **

**By wise council of Albus Dumbledore, James took the advice of selecting a Secret Keeper to protect him and his family from discovery. Sirius Black, James' best friend since childhood, was asked to do this, but new evidence by James Potter tells us that, that was not so. **

"**I asked Sirius to be our Secret Keeper but he refused. He knew that You-Know-Who would come after him so he asked me if I would get Peter Pettigrew, another of our friends, to do this. I agreed but only because I trusted my friend. Unfortunately Peter betrayed our location and You-Know-Who came and destroyed my life, taking away everything from me." James Potter explains. **

**But is this true? Having never had the privilege of a trial, is it possible for Sirius Black to be innocent? James Potter believes so. He says: "Sirius was a Gryffindor. He may have come from a Slytherin line but he's not like the rest of his family. Everyone wanted him to be in Slytherin at Hogwarts, but he defied them. He had no desire to be one of them, and that showed he had bravery and enough of it to stand against what he believed in. He was truly loyal to me all through our school years. When I applied to be Defense teacher at Hogwarts in 1978, Sirius was starting work as an Auror. He was not the type of person who would not go off and kill some Muggles, but with Peter I can understand that. He had just lost his best friend to the Dark Lord, betrayed by the person he thought would never do that. Peter just chose a convenient spot to be in that meant a lot of people could get hurt. I know that Sirius is innocent, but unless you don't let him speak out and tell you his side of the story, you may be condemning an innocent men to death." **

**Whether or not Sirius Black is innocent, is a matter for another time. James Potter is one of those people who will remain loyal to what he believes in. **

"**I firmly believe in Dumbledore's words about You-Know-Who's returning. He may have not shown himself yet but in the coming weeks he will spring his trap and enslave us all. I only want to protect my son. Knowing that my murderer is still alive and wants to kill my son is nothing less then frightening. I will do anything to help save anyone from his wrath. I would gladly sacrifice my life for anyone." **

**Rumours of You-Know-Who's return has in fact been denied by the Minister. **

**Reported by Rita Skeeter**

_She did a good job on it. At least she didn't twist my words…_James thought once he had finished the article. Below him he saw Umbridge stalking towards Harry's position at the Gryffindor table. _Oh no…_

He watched as she took the magazine from Harry and pursue him with questions. Umbridge was clearly not happy that Harry had given an interview, and then she turned and looked at him. James swallowed, already knowing what was coming next.

Umbridge walked towards him and placed Harry's copy of the Quibbler in front of him. "What is the meaning of this?" she asked.

"Meaning of what?" James asked, looking confused.

"Why would you tell such blatant lies to the general public about James Potter?"

"I have not lied. I have merely informed them of the truth of our situation." Responded James, knowing that everyone's eyes were on him.

"Truth of your situation?" Umbridge spat.

James nodded, getting to his feet, so that he towered over his rival. "Yes. Our situation. The fact that the Minister refuses to take in to account the words of the greatest wizard of our age."

Umbridge glared. "Very well. You do not want me as your enemy Mr Potter."

"You already are." James returned.

The Defence teacher gave him her most menacing look, attempting to intimidate him, but that failed miserably, as James kept a rather sincere face. Anger poured into her and Umbridge stalked out of the hall, amidst the stares of the other students.

James glanced over at Harry: his hazel ones meeting green. He grinned. He was cutting it rather close. After all he was on probation. Doing that interview was probably not one of the wisest things to do.

* * *

By mid-morning Umbridge had put up another Educational Decree, declaring that anyone in the possession of the Quibbler would be expelled. Every corridor and class room held the notice. The students, James noticed, kept looking at him as he walked through the school, and one student, a sixth year came up to him and said 'that they believed from the start'. James was quite grateful that his contribution to the Quibbler was beginning to change the opinion of the students. 

At last they were getting somewhere.

Later that night when he fell asleep, James was woken in the middle of the night by his head bursting with pain. Tears were rolling down his cheeks. What was going on? He struggled to sit up in bed, rubbing his head gently. The pain wore off within a few minutes and he settled back down to sleep, but just as he was dozing of, there was a knock at his door.

Getting out of bed he opened his door and came face to face with Harry and Ron.

"What are you two doing here at this time of night?" he asked, surprised.

"I had another dream." Harry stated.

James stood aside. "You'd better come in then, hadn't you?" Fear built up inside him.

The two teenagers stepped in to the room. Once the door was closed and Harry and Ron were settled into two chairs, James allowed Sirius to transform so that he could hear what Harry had to say.

Clasping his hands together, James sat forward. "Right, so what was your dream about?"

Harry ruffled his hair nervously. He didn't know where to begin. "I…I was standing in a dark room, sitting in a chair, with my fists clenched at the side. A man was kneeling in front of me. I was Voldemort. The man in front of me was Rookwood. I felt displeased with what had transpired; he wanted my forgiveness. I got up and walked slowly towards Rookwood. I told him that he had done well by telling me this. I bade him to leave and send Avery to me. Rookwood left and I walked towards a mirror. I woke up properly when I saw _his_ reflection staring back at me."

James frowned. "Do you know why Voldemort would feel displeased?"

Harry nodded. He had omitted that part.

"Tell me."

Swallowing Harry continued: "They were talking about removing something from somewhere. But they couldn't and that Bode couldn't have done it. I think Bode was under the Imperius Curse by Malfoy's dad. I believe the thing they want is the weapon I heard about over the summer. He's getting closer to it, dad."

James knew what Harry meant. Dumbledore had informed him that Voldemort was after the contents of the Prophecy and the only place he could get his hands on it was through the Department of Mysteries. Thankfully, Harry had no clue about that. If Voldemort found out about the Prophecy, then he would be able to have the power to destroy Harry, and James wasn't about to let that happen.

"Thank you for coming to tell me."

"S'okay." Harry muttered. "But, dad, please don't tell Dumbledore. I don't want him to know."

James did not question this. Harry was old enough to make his own decisions. He was pleased that his son had come to him instead of keeping it to himself and worrying over it. He smiled gently at Harry, suggesting that they both go back to bed. After they had gone James turned back to Sirius.

"Well?"

"He's desperate isn't he?" Sirius replied. "Voldemort is getting closer to finding out the Prophecy."

"I won't let him. I just can't." James said, frustrated. "Why did this fate have to settle on my son's shoulders?"

Sirius didn't answer, unsure what to say.

* * *

It was almost a week later after Harry's dream, that another commotion occurred in the castle. This time involving Umbridge and Trelawney. James and Hagrid hadn't been the only teachers to be put on Probation: Sybill Trelawney had been as well, as her dismal teachings in Divination had failed to impress Dolores Umbridge. 

He had been taking Sirius for a week through the grounds when he walked back into the Great Hall to find the Divination teacher sitting on top of her trunks and sobbing as she moaned at her misfortune. Umbridge was standing nearby, gloating and expressing her glee at finally getting rid of one of Dumbledore's staff.

Anger poured through him and James marched forward, forgetting about the hundreds of students that were crowded round, watching the spectacle.

"You can't just send her away from the Castle!" James shouted.

"And so comes our gallant imposter." Umbridge glared. She turned back to Trelawney. "Hogwarts was your home until an hour ago when the Minister signed your Order of Dismissal. Now kindly remove yourself from this hall. You are embarrassing us."

James ignored Umbridge and kneeled beside Trelawney, comforting her. Even though he had no love for the Divination professor he still felt he had to do something to ease her pain and suffering.

"You don't need to leave the castle, Sybill. I'm sure you can stay."

"She is being dismissed. There is no room for her here." Umbridge sniffed.

James smirked. Behind him he heard the voice of Dumbledore, claiming that Trelawney had the right to remain in the Castle and that it was his wish for her to stay.

"Professor McGonagall could you please take Sybill back to her tower." Dumbledore instructed.

James moved away back to where Sirius was waiting in his dog form. He was about to leave when he heard Umbridge ask, in a low, cruel voice: "And what are you going to do with her once I appoint a new Divination teacher who needs he lodgings?"

"Ah, that won't be a problem. You see I've already found a suitable replacement, and he'll prefer lodgings on the ground floor."

Umbridge's eyes widened in anger, and James couldn't help but grin.

"You've found-?" her voice rose shrilly. "You've found? Might I remind you that under Educational Decree Number Twenty-Two…"

"The Ministry has the right to appoint a suitable candidate if the Headmaster is unable to find one. And I am happy to say on this occasion that I have succeeded. May I introduce you?" Dumbledore interrupted before Umbridge could finish.

Eyes turned to the doors of the Great Hall as the sound of hooves could be heard. Through the open doors, in walked a Centaur, a half-man, half-horse creature.

"This is Firenze. I think you'll find him suitable." Dumbledore smiled.

Umbridge stared as her face suddenly clouded over.

James couldn't help but laugh.

**TBC**

**Well, what do you think? I was very doubtful to post this chapter…**

**Thank you's go to the following: **Crazy-Physco; Daftlilme; jackie; Ins Pins; RoschLupin-Black; Lunatic Pandora1; Inumaru12; Lady Jillyan Malfoy-Potter; PrincessSkywalkerOrgana; TeresaBlackPotter; magicgirl45852; Harry Potter Gater-girl; emuerz; charmedslayers; The Kaizeress; supernova8610; Shalaren; zippyfox; IamSiriusgrl; JTBJAB; realpyromaniac; Godfric Potter; Hazel Maraa; Fk306 animelover; prongspadfoot2003; Birchy **and **Suicidal Bunnies.

**monkeycheeks: **No, there will not be any romance that involves Harry. I can't write romance so if I do write anything, it will only be in passing, or if he is telling his father about it. There will be no slash. I don't like it, I believe it is wrong, but I don't hold it against other people though. The only romance I will include will be past instances with James and Lily. Sorry.

**ambereyes2873: **Yes, Harry has become a lot more emotional since James returned. He's afraid of losing him. No, James didn't tell Harry the Prophecy, but he let on more then he should know at this stage. Thank you for the wonderful review!

**Thoughts and Pondering: **We will eventually find out why James came back to life, but just not yet. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

**Loonie Potter: **I am willing to write more Luna into the story but I don't know where though. If I remember I will try and add more Luna into the story for you.

**BlondeGal123567: **The same thing that happened in the book with Harry and Cho occurred again, but Harry hasn't mentioned it to anyone. Not yet anyway.

**Next Chapter: **The Escaping of Dumbledore - in which the DA is discovered by Umbridge…**a very short chapter…coming next Saturday! **

**Thanks again, **

**MissBlackPotter**


	27. The Escaping of Dumbledore

**A short chapter this time, but the next one should make up for it…I hope. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Prongs Rides Again**

**Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Escaping of Dumbledore**

It was soon April and with the impending OWLs coming up as well as the DA meetings, James had his work cut out for him and he struggled to meet the deadlines he set. Umbridge continued to keep a close watch on him, her gaze forever pierced in his direction. Thankfully she hadn't followed him during his evening walks with Sirius, otherwise she would've arrested him by now for consorting with a wanted criminal. Whenever James felt they were away from Hogwarts he would allow his friend to transform, for just a few minutes so that he could be himself again.

It was a huge risk James had to take.

His life had been made worse by Umbridge's continuing inspection of his lessons. Hagrid tried his best, but James felt that his giant friend was falling apart, and most of the time, James had to mend the damage caused. Hagrid had lost his confidence, and with the OWLs approaching, James as hard pushed to cover all the topics.

Thankfully when Umbridge had threatened James with expulsion, Dumbledore had stepped in, and strongly advised her to let him teach without being interrupted by her. Umbridge had been furious at the request but had promised to do so. On that particular incident no one knew about save for Dumbledore, James and Umbridge.

She had promised James that Dumbledore wouldn't be there to protect him forever.

And she was right.

* * *

The DA club continued to meet during the week, whenever the members could find time together. Every student who had joined had come a long way, and recently, Harry had confided in his father, the pride he felt whenever his fellow student mastered a spell. 

They had finally begun work on producing a Patronus. James had been surprised and pleased to find that Harry's Patronus was his own animagus form. He felt extremely proud.

It was in the latest meeting that something bad happened.

The door to the Room of Requirement opened and James caught sight of a small elf, who made its way towards Harry, whisper urgently to him, and then fade from site. Harry's face went from joy to shock, and he bellowed: "WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? RUN!"

Students made a run for the door, and James fought towards Harry. "What's happened?"

"Umbridge." Harry panted. "She knows."

"Holy crap!" James shouted. "Come on! I'm getting you out of here!"

Wrenching the door open James hurried Harry though, pushing him in front of him, forcing his son to the left. They ran a few steps.

"_Abrascio!" _James whispered to the side of the wall, and a small tunnel opened up. "Get inside it! Follow the passage! It'll take you back to Gryffindor Tower!"

Harry nodded and ran into the darkness, lighting his wand as he did so. James muttered the same words again and the panel closed, just as he heard the unmistakable footsteps approach from behind him.

"Mr Potter." Umbridge said.

James turned, forcing a smile onto his face. "Yes, Dolores? May I help you?"

"You certainly can. You can explain to me why you were involved with an illegal club." She stated.

James made his expressions surprised. "What do you mean by that?"

"You'd better come to the Headmaster's Office, hadn't you? I'm sure we can clear this little mess up in no time." Umbridge explained evilly.

James swallowed and numbly followed Umbridge to Dumbledore's Office. At least Harry was safe.

* * *

He was unsurprised to find Cornelius Fudge and a two Aurors waiting with Dumbledore in his Office. _This is bad. _James thought. He was doing this for Harry, he kept reminding himself. At least this way he was protecting his son. 

Minerva McGonagall waited to the side, her eyes running over the people present in the room.

"Where is Harry Potter?" Fudge asked. "I understand that he has broken several Ministry Decrees."

"That is correct." Umbridge said proudly.

"Then why isn't he here?"

"I did not catch him, but Mr Potter, here, was involved to."

"Ahh…."

James locked eyes with Dumbledore. He read in his eyes: Deny everything. James realised that the headmaster had a plan. He could see sadness reflected within the aged depths and he felt himself worrying what the Headmaster was planning to do.

"Please, sit down, Mr Potter." Cornelius Fudge instructed, waving his wand and producing a wooden chair.

James obeyed.

"Now, I have assurances from a witness that you have been involved in an illegal student organisation. Is that correct Mr Potter?" the Minister asked, leaning forward.

"No," James answered. "I have no idea what you are talking about. I am unaware of this, if there is such a club."

"You are lying!" Umbridge accused him. "You were there! I saw you walk away from the scene of the crime! Tell us the truth Mr Potter! Or I will summon your 'son' here."

"And that's supposed to scare me?" James questioned. "I tell you the truth. If I knew anything about an illegal organisation, don't you think I would try and stop it? I support every one of your Ministry Decrees. After all you are reforming the school to make it better for future generations!"

Umbridge glowered in anger, whereas Fudge seemed to look confused by James' choice of words.

"I think I had better fetch our informant."

"Yes, yes, Dolores, please do. Perhaps she can clear up this little mess here." Fudge said.

Umbridge left the Office to collect the witness, and James stole a glance at the Headmaster. When she returned he was shocked to see Marietta, Cho Chang's curly haired friend. Harry had told James that on Valentine's Day, the day he had done the Quibbler Interview, he had been with Cho Chang on a date, but it had not turned out well. James had been sympathetic towards his son and had tried to give him advice. Things at the moment seemed to be working out between them, whether or not it became serious or not, was up to them.

Marietta was holding her face in her hands. It was clearly a hex, and James wondered if Harry had been the one to administer it, but then, Hermione had said that in order to protect the club she had jinxed them, so perhaps this was her handiwork. He would have to ask her later, if he was allowed to remain at Hogwarts.

James listened to the conversation that followed, and was surprised when he realised that Marietta was not telling them the whole truth. The DA meetings had been going on for over six months, but Marietta shook her head when asked if there had been more then one meeting.

When she turned her head in his general direction he noticed that her eyes were oddly clear, and he realised that someone in the room had put some sort of memory charm on her. _Very clever. _

To James' horror, Umbridge produced a list of the names of the pupils involved. He couldn't believe it. Sure enough, right at the top of the list was the name 'HARRY POTTER'. There was no way he could deny his son's involvement now. He swallowed waiting for the accusations and questions to begin, but they didn't come. Instead Dumbledore was speaking.

He explained how he had been the one to create the DA club and that tonight was to be the first meeting. He wanted to know how many people turned up. He said that James knew of the room where the club was being held but had no idea that the students were going to be there. To prove that James had been in the room for a valid reason, Dumbledore produced some of the students work, showing James' handwriting when he marked it. It was also dated for that very day.

Umbridge refused to believe this, but Fudge didn't listen to her as his excitement about Dumbledore's plot seem to grow on him and he ordered the Headmaster's arrest. James was too late to prevent or even argue against the verdict.

As the two Aurors attacked, James was pushed to the ground, as white light flashed overhead. He ducked. Dust settled when the fighting was over and he risked a glance.

Dumbledore remained standing. The two Aurors lay unconscious as was Umbridge and Fudge. The headmaster dusted the mess off his robes.

"What are you going to do?" James asked.

"Leave. And quickly." Dumbledore answered. "Minerva I leave you in charge. James, protect Harry at all costs. Don't let him run off."

James nodded. "I understand."

"Where will you go?" McGonagall asked.

"Into hiding. I can't say where in case they find out. I must go before they wake." Dumbledore answered. He called Fawkes to him, clasping him by the feathers and then they were gone in a flash of light.

"Where are they?" Fudge yelled as he regained consciousness.

"I don't know! He can't have disapparated!" an Auror shouted.

Fudge turned to Minerva. "Where's he gone?"

She shrugged, pointing to the stairs.

"After him!" Fudge bellowed.

The two Aurors and Umbridge departed.

"Well, this looks like the end to your friend Dumbledore." Fudge said stubbonly.

"You think so, do you?" James whispered to himself. He didn't doubt Dumbledore. He knew the Headmaster was doing what he thought was right. But whether he would return to Hogwarts, was another matter entirely.

James couldn't help but feel that this whole thing was his fault.

**TBC**

**Well, what do you think? **

**Just a quick note: **_I'm not going to do author/review responses anymore mainly because I've heard a few people have been banned from the site for making them way too long, whether this is true or not, I don't know, and I don't want to risk my membership with the site. However if anyone who reviews this story has a comment that I would like to reply to then I will email that person and respond that way. Hopefully this will work out. If I cannot get hold of you then I will find another way to respond to you. Thank you. _

**Great thanks goes to everyone who has been reading and reviewing since the beginning! Your comments make my day ;-)**

**Next chapter: **Getting to know the father - in which Harry learns more about his parents and grandparents as well as gets some careers advice…coming hopefully next Saturday…

**Thanks for reading!**

**MissBlackPotter**


	28. Getting to know the Father

**Over 1000 reviews! Thank you!**

**A/N) This chapter is much longer then my last few! We're now getting to the end of OOTP, and I estimate about another three-four chapters left. Please read my AUTHOR'S NOTE at the end of this chapter as it is IMPORTANT! Thanks! **

* * *

**Prongs Rides Again**

**Chapter Twenty-Eight: Getting to know the father**

By the following day another Ministry Decree had been put up all over Hogwarts. This one was proclaiming that 'Dolores Jane Umbridge has replaced Albus Dumbledore as Head of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry'.

Where ever he went James found that the students were constantly talking about Dumbledore's departure. They knew that Marietta had been there but she had been sequestered away from the students and kept in the hospital wing. James was the only one who knew what had happened, however no one approached him, because of his position of Professor.

Speculation went round the school. Ernie MacMillan believed that Dumbledore would return, but that was only because he was remembering the time when their had been attacks at the school regarding the Chamber of Secrets.

However James had to disagree with this. He did not think Fudge would allow Dumbledore to return.

Another thing that annoyed him no end was the fact that Umbridge had created the Inquisitorial Squad, who were hand picked students by the headmistress who were loyal to the Ministry's cause. Most of the Slytherins had been picked, and they were using their unlimited powers to deduct points from other houses and giving them their points instead.

He found it rather unorthodox but when he stumbled upon Malfoy taking points from Harry and his friends, James forbid him to do so, and Malfoy just gave him a smirk.

It turned out he had run to Umbridge who called James to her office and explained to him her 'noble' reasons for choosing those students for the Inquisitorial Squad. He had left the Office annoyed, but he had decided to be a good little boy and see where that got him. With Umbridge in charge, it was a lot more difficult to keep his temper, since her rules were silly and had no contribution to the running of the school. Even James felt like rebelling against her.

He did not realise that things would change drastically in the next few weeks that would change his life forever.

* * *

A soft knock at his door echoed through his office. James glanced up from marking a set of Sixth Year work, and waved his wand, opening the door. Harry stood in the entrance, his face set. 

"What she done now?" James asked, as his son stepped into the room and shut the door behind him. He could guess that something had happened that meant Umbridge had got on his sons nerves - again.

Harry sighed, sitting in a chair. Sirius was sleeping in the other room, completely unaware of his godson's presence. "I was just in the headmistress's office. She asked me where Dumbledore is and…" he swallowed, "where Sirius is. I think she put Veritaserum in my cup of tea. I only pretended to drink it so I didn't reveal anything."

"That bitch, doing that, poking her nose into other people's business…" James muttered, "but why question you where Dumbledore has gone? Heck, even I don't know where he is."

"Perhaps she believes you do know where he is, and since I am your son, she may think that you will tell me these things. Perhaps she think I'm silly enough to trust her." Harry explained.

James nodded. "I see what you mean. We're going to have to be careful. I'm seriously considering sending Sirius back to headquarters, just in case Umbridge realises who he is. Though I doubt she has the brains to figure it out, I feel that by a stroke of bad luck she may just work it out…and with the Inquisitorial Squad breathing down our necks…there's a bigger risk involved."

Harry stood up. "We'll get through this, dad, I know we will."

James grinned. "Of course we will. After all what Potter won't?"

* * *

Most of the students at Hogwarts tried to remain on Umbridge's good side. However Fred and George Weasley were an entirely different matter. Ever since Dumbledore had left the twins had been playing pranks round the school making Umbridge's job harder then before. She was constantly running from class to class trying to stop the pranks but whatever she did only add more chaos to the problem. 

She could not even identify who was behind it all either. She was feeling quite stressed, but the pranks played made the students forget about what happened and have fun for once.

Even the teachers found it rather amusing especially those who were loyal to Dumbledore. None of them liked the idea of Umbridge heading the school, but they had no choice.

James, had in fact, been rather shocked when he had found a set of Fillibuster Fireworks going off in his classroom that at first he had thought the Castle under attack. It was not until Harry came along minutes later that he realised that it was a Prank. Frankly both he and Sirius were surprised none of them had recognised the potential of a Prank. Even James admitted that being dead had had its disadvantages.

The afternoon that happened, none of the teachers got any work done. The twins had done a very good job in planning the Prank in order to keep the headmistress on her toes. It was a sight to see her rushing from one place to the next trying desperately to get rid of the fireworks, but failing miserably.

Even though James could guess that Umbridge would make sure everyone paid for this.

With Umbridge running Hogwarts and the twins causing trouble, the school was rarely the same, and James soon found himself wondering if teaching at Hogwarts was truly worth it. But the Gryffindor in him refused to give in, and he remained, but only to show his loyalty to Hogwarts and his son. Even if no one believed in him.

* * *

A few days later Harry came to his office, feeling conflicted and confused, and he barely talked, causing James to worry about his son's state of health. He at last managed to persuade Harry to tell him what was on his mind. 

"I saw a memory of Snape's in the Pensieve." Harry mumbled.

"What's so bad about that?" James asked, remembering all the times he had tormented Snape.

Harry sighed. "You were there, hurting him emotionally. You wouldn't stop. Mum hated you."

"Nah, she didn't." James shook his head. "Lily wanted me to be a better person. I didn't see that until I became Head-boy. It was then that I grew up, and Lily accepted me. I learnt to be a better person and that impressed your mother then any other spell or hex I could throw at Snape."

"You bullied people to impress mum?"

James nodded. "Yeah. I was young and naïve. I had no idea how to attract your mother to me. I thought if I could show her what I could do she would fall in love with me. I was wrong. It was not my ability to do magic that she fell for, but for who I was as a person inside. She hated the bullying, toerag James Potter, but she loved the kind-hearted, fun-loving, carefree, careful James Potter. That was the person I kept hidden all these years from her because I felt that wasn't good enough for her."

"I guess Sirius was right then." Harry replied.

"What did he say?"

"Well, in the memory I saw he made a comment that mum thought you were conceited. He was right. You thought too much of yourself, but you also thought too little of yourself as well. I'm glad mum saw the good in you."

James grinned, reached forward and ruffled his son's hair. "Thanks kiddo."

"DAD!" Harry shouted, trying to move away from James' grip, but failing miserable.

* * *

Harry lay in bed thinking of his father. James had told him that his behaviour had been linked to his love for Lily, but it still bothered him how James had found it fun to even torment Snape. Both of his parents had been good people, but even they had their bad points. James, Harry had discovered, had been very popular, and that popularity had led him to being a conceited git for most of his years at Hogwarts. 

_How did he become Head-boy? _Harry wondered.

He found it hard to believe that his father, once the most conceited boy at Hogwarts, had actually become Head-boy and settled down. But then the position of Head-boy was a very privilege place. He figured Dumbledore must've had faith in James in order to have given him that amount of responsibility, and doing so had changed his father forever.

If he hadn't been Head-boy, Harry might never have been born, and his mother would never have got to have known the real James Potter. His mind drifted, wondering what life for Lily and James could've been like if James had never been Head-boy.

Many possibilities passed through his head, and gradually Harry Potter fell asleep, content that his father was here for him, and that he would never go away.

That he would never change.

* * *

"I need some Career Advice." Harry said, stepping into his father's office. 

"What kind of advice?" James asked cautiously.

"I want to know about the Aurors. Everything you know. I'm considering working to be an Auror when I leave." Harry continued.

James' face lit up. "That's brilliant! That makes you the fifth Potter to be an Auror! The Potter's were one of the most famous Auror's of the past."

"Really? No one's never told me that before."

James shrugged. "Maybe the opportunity never arose."

"I imagine so." Harry agreed. "So what can you tell me?"

"Better yet," James said, walking to hi cupboard, "I can show you."

"Show me?"

"Yes, my pensieve. Let me take you back, Harry, to meet your grandparents in my memories. My mother and father, as well as my grandfather were Aurors." James placed the Pensieve on the table, and glanced at Harry. "That's only if you want to."

"You don't need to ask, dad." Harry grinned.

"Then step up." Commanded James. Raising his wand, he placed it at the side of his head and pulled out memories, dipping them into the Pensieve. Once he was done, he told Harry to fall into the Pensieve, and he watched as his son disappeared. James followed.

* * *

Harry landed on the floor of a house. A red and gold carpet covered the floor. James landed beside him. "Welcome home." He said. 

"Where are we?" Harry asked.

"The ancestral home of the Potters." James explained. "Unfortunately it was destroyed by Voldemort. This would've been where you could've been brought up, if we hadn't had to go into hiding."

"Oh…" Harry trailed off, as a small, black-haired toddler came rushing forward. Hazel eyes sparkled as the little boy ran. Jet black hair fell in front of the child's face.

"DADDY!" he squealed.

It was then that Harry noticed the arrival of another man, who had short black hair, blue eyes and a black beard. He looked a lot like James, save that his face had more lines, and his chin more prominent. The man fell to his knees and scooped up the running child.

"How's my little Jamesie?" the man asked.

"Ma names not Jamesie!" the boy shouted. "James!"

"Yes, that's right." The man said, grinning, and holding the small boy.

It dawned on Harry. That little boy was his father, probably about three years old, and the man had to be his grandfather.

A young woman walked into the hall, smiling. Her face was young, and hazel eyes shone, her hair was blonde. "How was your day at the office?"

"Interesting. A lot of strange attacks are beginning to happen to muggles."

"At least James is safe." The woman said, reaching forward and plucking the boy from his father's arms.

There was a small beeping noise and Harry's grandfather brought out his watch. It was magical, because he immediately he looked worried. "There's trouble at the Ministry. I should go." He turned to leave.

"Can I come, daddy?" James asked, hanging onto his mother.

"No, son, I'm afraid you can't. Auror business."

"I wanna be an Auror!" James began to cry.

"You will someday." His father said and then he apparated. The little boy burst into tears.

"Come on, lets take you upstairs."

Harry watched as his grandmother took his three year old father up to the next floor. He turned to look at James. "You remember that?"

"Yeah. It's one of my earliest memories. From a very young age I always wanted to be an Auror. It ran in the family, I guess. Dad was very powerful. He was exceptionally, talented Wizard. He was like me at school, always getting into trouble, but he and mum fell in love in second year. They were a couple from twelve years old. I was there only child, because both were Aurors. Mum looked after me for eleven years before she went back to work. When I came home from Hogwarts at the holidays she was allowed leave. Both of your grandparents were brilliant wizards. I just wish you had gotten to know them."

James sighed, "Come, let me show you something else."

The scene began to change, and Harry felt himself moving from one memory to another, his stomach flipping as it did so. He closed his eyes waiting for the dizziness to pass. Finally when his feet slammed into the ground, Harry risked a glance.

His father was beside him.

"Where are we now?" Harry asked.

James frowned. "The day my grandparents were murdered." He said.

They were no longer in the Potter Mansion, instead they were in a small house, that looked homely. Harry guessed they were in the sitting room. Seven people sat in the room, chatting together. On the other side of a room, a young boy was playing with a magical train set, laughing.

"I'm nine years old." James said. "I remember this so vividly. I want to show you how dangerous it is growing up with parents as Aurors."

"Right." Harry nodded. "Who are the other people?"

James pointed out his parents. Then he pointed to a young girl with blonde hair, who looked exactly like his mother. "That's my older sister, Maria. She's sixteen. Next to her is my grandfather and mother, and next to my dad is his brother and his wife."

Harry watched the scene play out, realising that he was about to witness the death of his grandparents. Within minutes, there was a loud blast, and the wall collapsed. Hooded people stepped into the wreckage. Nine-year old James was crying, tears falling down his cheeks, as his terror overcame him.

His mother, Natalie, rushed forward, plucking James from the wreckage. The hooded people advanced, raising their wands.

"Natalie! Harold! Get James out of here!" Harry heard his grandfather shout.

Harry watched as his grandparents and his father made a break for escape, but was cut off by an Apparating Death Eater, who pointed his wand at the boy.

"Don't move, or your son will suffer!" Natalie stopped, clutching James to her body, as much as she could to protect him.

James was still crying.

There was a scream, and Natalie turned as the killing curse hit her husband's father's chest, killing him instantly.

"Granddad!" James called. He was old enough to understand about the killing curse, but he had never seen anyone be killed before. Shock registered through James.

Harry felt his heart pull inside him, as he watched his great-grandfather fall, followed minutes later by his great-grandmother. Then the two other people who had been in the room were murdered ruthlessly, leaving just Harold, Natalie and James Potter alive.

The hooded figures lowered their wands.

Harold spoke up, his voice trying not to tremor. "What do you want with us?"

"Join our lord, and you will be given rewards beyond your wildest dreams. Disobey, and you'll end up like your parents."

Harold gritted his teeth. "No. We Potters stick together. We will never fight for your lord. Leave now."

The hooded figure just nodded his head. "We'll be back for you, Harold Potter. In the meantime you'd better make sure your brat is safe." He laughed cruelly, and then with his companions apparated away, leaving the three remaining Potters to survive the carnage that they had brought upon themselves by opposing the Dark Lord.

Harry had watched this scene. His father had witnessed the death of all those people who he loved. How could he live with that?

"That was one of the major factors as to why I decided to become an Auror." James said.

"Did they ever come back for you?" Harry questioned.

James shook his head. "No. They couldn't find us. Dad used the Fidelius Charm to hide us, and he was the Secret Keeper. The charm was only for protection during my school years. We put wards, everything up at the Potter Mansion, to keep me protected. My parents didn't want to risk my life. I had no clue about this or why we were so well protected until that incident. Mum explained a few things to me then, so that I could understand that some people must resort to these measures in order to keep themselves safe."

"Your parents really loved you, didn't they?"

James smiled sadly. "Yeah, they did. They would've loved you. It was a shame that they never lived to see you."

"How'd they die?"

"I'll show you. I was there." James answered, closing his eyes and calling the memory forward.

Harry felt himself being propelled through memories until they stopped. They were back in the Potter Mansion, but it was a complete wreck. The walls had fallen down, furniture overturned and smoke filled the air.

James led Harry through the remaining wreckage till they came to the sitting room. Laying on the floor was the burnt, mangled bodies of Harold and Natalie Potter. They were smoking, and blood dripped round them in a puddle. In this room also stood three people: James, Sirius and Lily.

"I'm eighteen." James murmured to Harry.

As Harry watched, he saw his father break down, crying. He rested his head Sirius' shoulder. "Why did this happen to me? Why my parents?"

"I don't know Prongs." Sirius whispered.

Lily stepped round and hugged her husband, rubbing his shoulders. "What are you going to do?"

James looked up and stared at the bodies of his parents. "I'm going to do what my father always wanted me to do. Be an Auror. First things first, I'm starting training tomorrow. It's the least I can do to honour their wishes. If I can do this, I will die knowing that I have made my father proud. He always wanted me to be an Auror, but I wasn't sure about signing up after leaving Hogwarts…but now," James sniffed, "now I know I want to do this. I want to save people and that's exactly what I'm going to do."

"So that changed your decision about your career?" Harry said.

"Yes. My parents had always wanted me to be an Auror. I decided I had to honour that. As a kid I always said I'd be an Auror, my dad was surprised when I said Dumbledore had offered me a position as Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. I took it as I wasn't sure being an Auror was right for me. Whenever I was in battle with Death Eaters I always remember this incident, because it was my parents death that changed my future."

"And it set yours in motion." James finished.

Harry nodded solemnly. "I still believe Auror is the career for me even if I have to be fighting dark wizards for the rest of my life. It's something I'm good at. Thanks dad for showing me. At least I know what danger my family might be in if I do take up being an Auror."

"It's a tough life kid, but I'm sure we'll manage." James smiled, ruffling Harry's hair. "Come on, lets get out of this memory and explore."

Father and Son spent the next few hours going through James' memories, seeing some memorable incidents in James' past. It gave Harry the chance to view his father for who he was and what had influenced him in his decisions to hate Slytherins at Hogwarts.

He found that the Potter's had had an enmity with the Snapes for years, and that James' experiences growing up with danger had certainly made him think twice before befriending a Slytherin. Though Harry didn't agree with the punishment that James gave out to the Slytherin's, he felt that perhaps his father had been a bit spoilt by his parents after the murders.

Overall, Harry learned that his father had a good heart and meant well, but certain events in his past had shaped him to act the way he was. He was afraid of losing everything, and he felt that if he let Slytherins beat him, he would lose the respect of others and that by bullying the other students, it had given him the opportunity to rise above the others and prove that he was not a coward.

But it had been this that had been his downfall in wooing Lily in his first six years, but Harry was glad his father had learnt his lesson and settled down. He learnt much about James Potter, and for the first time since making that wish, Harry felt that he had finally achieved the impossible.

He had, had a chance to get to know his family.

* * *

"You have got to get down to the entrance hall." Sirius said, as he transformed back into a man, after shutting the door to James' Office. "You will not believe what is happening out there." 

"Umbridge having trouble controlling the students again?" James asked, grinning.

"You might say the that twins have gone too far." Sirius pointed out.

James stood up. "Well, I'd better go and have a look. Coming?"

"You think I'd miss this?" Sirius asked and transformed into the black dog.

Walking quickly the two friends made their way to the entrance hall. As they rounded a corner, James was not looking where he was going and he bumped into someone.

"Oof!"

"Watch where you are going, Potter." a voice said.

James blinked and his eyes focused on Snape. Sirius was growling.

"Aren't you meant to be teaching Harry Occlumency?"

Snape scowled. "Didn't your little brat tell you that he saw one of my memories, or did it slip his mind?"

"He told me. We discussed it." James answered.

"I refuse to teach him. I tell him not to touch anything and look what he goes and does!" growled Snape.

"That's not fair on Harry! He needs your help!" James pleaded. "Please can you continue the lessons. He's still having those dreams!"

Glaring Snape was about to say something, when a loud crash echoed from behind them and two broomsticks were suddenly flying towards them. They threw themselves out of the way, and the conversation was lost as James bolted after the broomsticks.

With Sirius running up behind him, James was the first to reach the hall and the sight that met him was a surprising one.

Fred and George Weasley were sitting on their broomsticks grinning broadly, and Umbridge was shrieking at the Inquisitorial Squad, but nothing could stop the twins from escaping. They kicked off into the sky, and fled Hogwarts.

As they disappeared, Fred glanced back and shouted to Peeves the Poltergeist. "Give her hell from us, Peeves!" And to the amazement of the whole hall, the Poltergeist saluted Fred and George, as they sped out into the sunset and away from Hogwarts.

**TBC**

**What did you think? Did James' memories make sense? Let me know what you liked? Disliked? **

**IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTES**

As we all know we are coming to the end of Book 5. I also planned to carry this story into Harry's sixth year + James. But I would like your opinion of this. Should I carry on the story into Harry's sixth year under this title or under a different title? Do bear in mind that the whole plot regarding James will evolve more in book 6 and he becomes a lot more important. The story will still refer to him.

Also, due to the fact that I am no longer doing review responses on this site, I will not stop doing them. I have created a Live Journal, where I will post review responses as well as spoilers and previews. You can find the link in my profile under homepage. Go on, take a look!

**VITALLY IMPORTANT: **One more week till HBP comes out! So that means no update next Saturday, because I will be too absorbed in reading the new book. I also want to give you readers a chance to read the new book, and if I update you might get confused, I know I would! So, next chapter will be coming in two weeks. But it will be a good chapter!

**Next chapter: **A Sirius Discovery….Umbridge does some snooping…coming July 23rd.

**Thanks for all the reviews so far! **

**MissBlackPotter**


	29. A Sirius Discovery

**Well, I hope you all enjoyed HBP! I did. Brilliant twist at the end! Excellent book, much better then the fifth one, I think. Anyway, I thought I'd update early because term ends tomorrow for me and I don't know whether I'm going on holiday or not, so I thought you'd like an update! I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

**Prongs Rides Again**

**Chapter Twenty-Nine: A Sirius Discovery**

The school spoke of nothing, apart from Fred and George's escape, for days. By the end of the week, Umbridge was fed up of hearing how she had let two students escape her grasp. James found it highly amusing that the new headmistress could not control the school without the aid of Filch. The other Professors were still making life hard for her. If she wasn't a Ministry Employee, James felt that he would've had some form of sympathy for her, however he didn't.

As the O.W.Ls approached, James' work became heavier and he struggled to get all the papers marked so his students could go over what they had done wrong and improve. He set more and more essays on handling magical creatures, so that the students knew how to write about caring for a magical creature in the exam.

On the whole, James didn't know who was more scared, him or the students. After all it would be his teaching methods that the students were to be following. And if they failed, he would blame himself.

A week before the O.W.L exams started, James received the shock of a lifetime.

* * *

Ever since meeting James Potter, Umbridge had been suspicious of him. She had kept watch on him, hoping to find some way of getting him arrested, but nothing had come up. As she walked round the Castle, she noticed James and his pet dog walk out into the grounds. It was night time and she was patrolling the corridors. 

Frowning, Umbridge followed making herself invisible. Fudge had given her an Invisibility Cloaks from the Ministry and she kept it with her at all times. No one knew about it. It was certainly the perfect way to spy on Potter. Making sure that the Cloak was wrapped securely round her small body, Dolores Umbridge, followed James to the Whomping Willow.

Entranced she watched as he picked up a stick, jabbed it at the base of the trunk and crawled inside. The black dog followed, and then Umbridge followed, making sure that she was still completely covered.

She followed a secret passageway until they came to a trapdoor that opened up into a house. With an eerie feeling inside her, Umbridge realised that this was the Shrieking Shack.

She heard three voices from up the stairs. Silently she tiptoed up the stairs. Peering into the a room a sight she never thought she'd see met her eyes.

Sirius Black stood in the center of the room laughing, his eyes shining, the dog no where to be seen. James sat on a bed, and Remus Lupin was standing in a corner looking afraid.

Seconds passed and Remus went rigid.

Umbridge remembered. He was a werewolf. She took a step back, but not before seeing James Potter transform into a Stag, and Sirius Black into the black dog that she recognised.

Seeing enough, Umbridge made her way back to the Castle, planning exactly how she'd catch James Potter out.

* * *

The following morning a weary and tired James Potter and dog-formed Sirius Black returned to Hogwarts Castle and went straight into breakfast. James sat at the staff table, Sirius sitting on the floor between his feet. Students were pouring in ready for classes. James grinned at Harry, seeing him glance up. 

"Good morning Mr Potter." Umbridge said, standing in front of James.

"Hello Dolores. Have a good night?" James asked, trying to keep the conversation light.

"It was a pleasant surprise."

He didn't like the tone of her voice and her answer. It made him suspicious. Then he saw five wizards standing behind her, their wands out, and their expressions grave.

She stepped back allowing them to come forward.

"What's going on?" James asked befuddled. Sirius came out from under the table, his doggy eyes looking at the five Wizards intently.

"You are under arrest, Mr Potter." one Wizard said.

"WHAT? Why?" James demanded.

"For consorting with a dangerous and convicted murderer."

James swallowed. Did she know? He was suddenly very afraid, but he managed to keep his cool and look each Wizard in the eye. "I don't know any dangerous and convicted murderers."

"How about Sirius Black?" Umbridge asked sweetly.

"I haven't been." James replied.

"Oh really?" Umbridge's smile grew larger. "Seize the dog."

James stepped in front of Sirius. He would not let them take his best friend. "I won't let you."

"Then you are admitting that that dog is Sirius Black because you are protecting him." Umbridge replied.

_Oh bugger. _James thought. "Well, there's one thing that I can still do."

"And what's that?" Hogwarts High Inquisitor asked, now aware that the whole student body was watching the exchange. Her eyes were glinting success, and a foul smile crept onto her face.

"RUN!" James yelled. Pulling out his wand he cast a stunning spell, hitting an Auror, sending them to the floor.

"Padfoot transform!" James ordered. It would be easier to escape if Sirius was in human form.

Within a second Sirius had transformed, and the two had started for a sprint down the Greta Hall and out into the Entrance Hall.

As the two runaways passed the Gryffindor Table where Harry was sitting, James distinctly heard Hermione Granger shout: "SIRIUS BLACK!"

Screams erupted all around them, as students scrambled to get out of their way. Panic rose and several students delved right out the way so that they blocked the Auror's path. Trained not to harm the innocent, they couldn't cast any spells for fear of hitting the children, thus enabling James and Sirius to escape the commotion.

"AFTER THEM!" Umbridge shouted, waving her hands in the direction of the two escapees.

The other Professors at the head table sat and watched. They would not help Umbridge. She had Aurors to do her dirty work. Besides what was the point of arresting an innocent man?

* * *

Harry swivelled in his seat to face Hermione. "Why did you do that?" 

"Do what?" she asked.

"Shout out about Sirius?" Harry replied, crossly.

"Because someone had to make the obvious statement! We have to appear scared! Everyone was shocked by his sudden appearance. And with everyone running and blocking the Aurors path it will give James and Sirius time to escape. I only did it so that others would react to it, and cause enough commotion. Students want to stay far away from Sirius as possible. I don't think they realised it was him until I said something. Once they did the students rushed out into the aisles to escape him in case he hurt them."

"Sirius wouldn't hurt anyone!" Harry yelled.

"We know that, but they don't." defended Hermione.

Harry bit his lip, not saying anything.

Professor McGonagall was now issuing instructions to the students, and as the Professors started to take them back to their Common Rooms, Harry was called over to McGonagall, who informed him that she wanted him to lie to Umbridge if she interrogated him about Sirius. Harry promised he would, knowing full well that he couldn't betray his father and Godfather like that.

Following the rest of the Gryffindor's back to their Common Room, Harry fervently hoped his father would escape and that nothing bad would happen to his remaining family. He had only just regained his father. Losing him again would harm Harry more then Voldemort ever could.

* * *

Before the twins had left Hogwarts, they had given Sirius a few of their jokes. He had planned to use them on the last day of term, however now that opportunity had been taken from him by the fact Umbridge had somehow found out about him. Sirius cursed, biting his lip, as he thought of the wasted joke products the twins had given him. 

James noticed his expression as they ran through the corridors, students screaming and diving out of their path.

Sirius grimaced. "Just thinking what the Weasley Twins left me."

"Zonko products?"

Sirius grinned, even if he was in a sticky situation. "Yeah."

"Use them." James instructed. "Lets leave our mark on Hogwarts."

"Good think I have most of their products with me." Sirius answered. "How are we going to get out of here?"

"By Floo. Dumbledore's Office. It may be locked to Umbridge but its not locked to me. McGonagall told me that Dumbledore has enabled the Office to accept the heirs of past headmasters. Someone in my line was a headmaster. So, hopefully I can gain access to the Office and we can use his fire to get back to Headquarters."

"And if not?"

"Then we're bugged, mate." James smiled sheepishly.

They round a corner with the Aurors in pursuit. Umbridge lagged behind, her screeching cries echoing all around.

Sirius reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, red pen. He pressed the tip, and threw it over his shoulder. It landed as the Aurors ran forward. One stepped onto it, and the pen exploded in a variety of colours. Out from the pen spilled a liquid, a yellow liquid, that the Aurors began to slip and slide on. One's leg got trapped and the Auror tried casting a freeing spell on him, but that only caused the goop to cling tighter to him.

"What was that?" James asked.

"Sponge Pen. Latest model from Zonko's. Fred thought it would come in handy for sticky situations."

"He was certainly right." James agreed.

Sirius skidded round a corner, nearly running head long into a bunch of Aurors that must have been waiting for them. He raised his wand, ready, but James grabbed his arm. The other Aurors pursuing them were a little way behind them, trying to help their friend out of the goop.

"James!" Sirius cried, but his friend shook his head, clearly telling him not to pick a fight.

One of the Aurors, Kingsley Shacklebolt, stepped forward. "Go, now. Dumbledore gave us orders to get you out of here." He stepped aside, allowing the two fugitives to run past. James grinned and ran, with Sirius behind him. The Aurors with Kingsley watched them pass, and then followed the black man to the commotion involving the other Aurors.

The coast was clear. They were almost free!

They reached Dumbledore's Office and James declared: "Bubblegum Heir, James Potter of Gryffindor House!" The stature opened revealing stairs and the two ran up them, bursting into the Office as the door swung magically open for them.

James crossed the room to the fire and grabbed the Floo Powder, sprinkled it onto the fireplace and it burst into green flames.

"Bubblegum Heir?" Sirius asked, confused.

James shrugged. "It's Dumbledore's sweet tooth. Apparently my ancestor who was once a headmaster here, liked saying the word Bubblegum. That's where it comes from, as well as from the sweet Bubblegum. It's hard to explain Sirius, so don't ask me."

"Fine. Just sounded odd for you." Sirius agreed.

James handed Sirius the bag of Floo Powder who put his hand in and pulled out some of the soft powder. Standing in the fire, he let the powder spill onto the fireplace, and Sirius shouted: "Twleve Grimmauld Place!" and then he was gone, falling through the grates, keeping his elbows tucked in, until he came out of the fire place in the kitchen of his childhood home.

* * *

James followed minutes later and he arrived coughing and spluttering out soot. He glared at Sirius who was laughing at the state of his friend's appearance. "Shut up Padfoot." 

"Did they see where we went?" Sirius asked, referring to the Aurors and Umbridge.

"No." James said. "Thankfully, or they would be storming this place right now I should think."

Suddenly Remus Lupin strode into the room, a look of relief spread across his strained features. He should have been resting due to the fact that it had been the full moon the night before, but it seemed he cared more about his friends then he did about his own health.

"What are you two doing here?"

"Umbridge tried to arrest me for consorting with a 'murderer'." James supplied, looking slightly annoyed. "She uncovered Sirius. We had to make a break for it. We managed to escape, but now I'm a wanted man."

James buried his face in his hands. "I can't even keep my promise to Harry now. I said I'd always be there for him for now on, and when he needs me the most I'm not there. There's no way I can show my face again at Hogwarts, not while Umbridge is on the prowl."

"What are you going to do then?" Remus asked, pulling up a chair and sitting himself next to James. Sirius stood off to the side.

"I'm just going to have to stay put, aren't I?" James replied. "It's the safest thing for me."

* * *

The news spread like a wild fire all over the Wizarding World in a matter of hours. Sirius Black had been hiding at Hogwarts, disguised as a dog. The Ministry of Magic officially recorded him on the register of Animagi so that members of the public could recognise him if they tried to. An alert was put out for James Potter's arrest, with an award of 5000 galleons to be paid to the person who handed his whereabouts over, yet no one came forward. 

Even the Wizarding World began to suspect that Sirius Black and James Potter should be given chance. If they had not harmed any students while under Dumbledore or Umbridge's nose, then surely they couldn't be that bad, but Cornelius Fudge would have none of it, and was determined to have the two Wizards brought to justice.

All the while, James and Sirius remained safely hidden at twelve Grimmauld Place.

It was not until the week of the O.W.L exams that things began to take a nasty turn for the Wizarding World.

* * *

During his History of Magic exam, Harry Potter fell asleep, and what he saw changed his future forever… 

_There was a shape on the floor at the very end, a black shape moving on the floor…Harry's stomach contracted with fear…with excitement…_

_A voice issued from his own mouth, a high, cold voice empty of any human kindness…_

"_Take it for me, Potter…lift it down, now…I cannot touch it…but you can…"_

_And as Harry watched, the shape on the floor scrambled to their knees and Harry felt his heart begin to pound. _

_James Potter locked eyes with Voldemort, snarling. "I will not help you. Not after what you've done to Lily." _

"_Very well…CRUCIO!" Voldemort yelled. _

_The curse struck James and he fell back, screaming, his back buckling in agony. "HARRY!" _

"NO!" Harry flung out his arms, falling off his chair, his scar searing with pain. As pain roared though his body, he gingerly looked around, noting that the students were staring at him from their exam tables, and then darkness over took him, as the examiners rushed forward.

**TBC**

**Well, what do you think? **

**NEXT UPDATE: I have no idea when the next update will be. I'm having it betaed and it might take a while. I may be able to update next weekend, I may not. Keep a look out. The next chapter is the Department of Mysteries Chapter. **

**Review Responseswill beon my live journal in the next couple of days! Check out the link in my bio!**

**Thanks for all the reviews! **

**MissBlackPotter**


	30. The Department of Mysteries: The End

**Quick Note Regarding HBP** - In the last lot of reviews people expressed their hatred of the book. I respect your opinion, and thank you for sharing it with me. I loved HBP and think it is better the Book 5. I know some of you might disagree with me on this, but please don't rant and rave at me in a review for having this opinion. I am slightly curious as to why people hate the book so much, as I enjoyed the gripping and mysterious storyline that it held. But then we are all entitled to our own opinions. Thank you for reading. (and just so you know I am not getting on at anyone for hating it either!)

**A/N) This is the final chapter to Prongs Rides Again. I know it's taken me forever to write this but I did have some difficulty with getting the chapter how I wanted it. I could not have done this without Lady Taliesin's help. Thank you for all your wonderful help and letting me use your description of Godric's Hollow as well as using your scene with Remus and Peter. And for proof-reading this chapter through all it's different stages!**

**This final chapter is dedicated to you, Lady Taliesin! **

**Final Author Notes at the bottom – please read!**

* * *

**Prongs Rides Again**

**Chapter Thirty: The Department of Mysteries**

James sat with Sirius, who was tending to Buckbeak, the hippogriff that he had used to escape from Hogwarts a few years ago. The hippogriff had been injured, though Sirius did not know how he had been.

James was holding his hands in his lap, cross legged on the floor, his hazel eyes watching his best friend's movements as he attempted to help the magical creature. Sirius kneeled forward, brushing a hand over the wound, and he seemed to be contemplating what he should do next. Finally he looked up, seeking James' eyes.

"Hand me that bandage, Prongs." Sirius muttered, sticking out a hand allowing James to place a white bandage. "Thanks." Sirius turned back to the hippogriff and began to bandage the bleeding claw. He had cleaned it with soap and water, before casting a blood clotting charm on it to stem the bleeding. Once the bandage had been secured, Sirius glanced back at James, noticing that his expression was far-away.

He waved a hand in front of James. "Earth to Prongs? Are you there?"

James shook his head, coming out of his daze. "What?"

"Thinking about Harry?"

"Yeah. I'm worried. I've had this feeling for ages. Something is going to happen to Harry. I just don't know when it will occur." James sighed, running his fingers through the tangled mess of black hair in frustration. "ARGH! I've never felt this helpless! I can't wait around all day, just doing nothing, while Voldemort is planning something!"

"Dumbledore will warn us if he makes his move." Sirius said.

James sagged. "I know, but still it would be nice to hear from Harry."

* * *

"JAMES!" 

Hearing his name called, James leapt up from the bed, grabbed his wand and ran down the stairs, crashing into Remus Lupin who was waiting at the bottom. His friend looked tired and he seemed relieved to see him. But it was the worried eyes that got James. Something was wrong. An eerie feeling crept into his stomach.

"Moony? Is everything alright?" There was an urgent ring to James' voice.

Remus shook his head. "I'm afraid something has happened. Severus is downstairs. He needs to speak to you and Sirius."

"It's about Harry isn't it?" Sirius asked, appearing behind James and laying a hand on his shoulder.

"I think Severus should explain it to you." Remus murmured.

James was in motion, his heart beating fast, as he made his way quickly through the house to the kitchen where the Potions Master was waiting for him.

* * *

_Where is Potter? I can't wait around here all day! _Snape thought viciously. He was standing in the kitchen, having slipped out of Hogwarts, and was becoming more impatient by the minute. He hated being kept, and besides the sooner he got back to the school, the sooner he could assess the situation regarding James' son. 

Hurried footsteps came down the hallway, and the door burst open. James Potter burst through, his hair was a mess and his panic-stricken eyes sought Snape out.

"What's wrong with Harry?" James demanded.

Snape scowled but he spoke harshly. "Your son fainted in his exam. He believes you are a prisoner of Lord Voldemort."

"WHAT?" James shouted, pointing his right hand at Snape, as though he was accusing him of failing in his task. "What? How? You're meant to be teaching him Occlumency!"

"He never came back to his Occlumency lessons afterwards, even when I requested it. He refused to. Potter refused my help." Snape sneered.

James sagged. He had asked Harry to go back to Snape and even when he said he would, he had not. James felt betrayed, and now Harry was somewhere out there, believing him to be captured. His throat became unstuck. "Do you know where he is?" his voice sounded desperate, although he tried to sound calm.

"I have reason to believe he went to the Department of Mysteries. The Dark Lord is after the Prophecy and he's using Potter to get it." Snape answered.

James clutched his wand and made to apparate when Snape and Sirius stopped him. "Where are you going?" they both demanded.

"To save my son." James growled.

"Don't be a fool, Potter!" Snape shouted. "You can't take on Death Eaters by yourself."

"Try me." James glared.

"If you're going, I'm going too." Sirius answered, standing next to his friend.

"No," James whispered, "You can't. I don't want you to get caught."

"I won't be." Sirius answered stubbonly. "You know me, Prongs. Harry is my Godson. What kind of Godfather am I if I don't go to help him?"

"Not a very good one." replied James. He didn't like it one bit, but he couldn't stop Sirius from going. Even Snape looked dubious but he didn't say anything.

"I'll go to." Remus said.

James turned to look at Snape, focusing his hazel eyes on his enemy. "Severus, can you alert Kingsley and Tonks that we need their help? Tell them to meet us outside the Ministry of Magic. I'd ask you to come…but I know you have to be back at Hogwarts."

"I will do this for you, Pott…James, but only because you asked nicely." Snape scowled and then Disapparated.

James gazed round at his friends. "Well, Padfoot, Moony, let's go."

Gripping their wands, the three members of the Order of the Phoenix apparated away. Minutes after they had left Albus Dumbledore arrived.

* * *

"Where are they?" James cursed. They were waiting inside the Atrium at the Ministry of Magic after Apparating in, but they still had to wait for the rest of the Order members to arrive. James was pacing, his heart beating fast, for he was worrying constantly about what his son was doing and whether he was safe. His wand was clenched in his fist, ready for anything. "If they are not here in five minutes then I am going down to the Department of Mysteries myself!" 

Remus reached forward and grabbed James' shoulders. "No we won't. We will wait for the Order. Three of us won't be able to hold off Death Eaters."

"And neither will Harry!" James nearly screamed.

"You will be surprised what Harry can do." Remus replied. "Trust me. He will keep them safe, long enough for us to get there with a sizeable number of the Order to aid them."

James gritted his teeth. He was being torn apart inside. One part of him understood Remus' reasoning for waiting, but the other was his fatherly intuition. He cared for Harry deeply and all he wanted to do was bring his boy home safely. It would be what Lily would've done.

Suddenly the lift doors at the end of the Atrium opened revealing Tonks and Kingsley, who ran in, holding their wands aloft.

"Remus!" Tonks shouted.

James rushed forward. "We've got no time for this! Come on! We've got to get down to the hall of Prophecy!"

He sped off at top speed, Sirius following with the rest. They made their way down to the courtrooms and then towards the black door. Flinging the door open, James rushed through and into a circular room. The others piled in behind him. Tonks shut the door and as soon as she had done so, the various doors that led out of the circular room began to spin round. The wall with the doors was rotating.

"What the…?" James asked, slightly confused.

"Pick a door." Remus advised. "We'll have to search for them."

Reaching to one of the doors, James wrenched it open and walked through. The others followed. They walked into a room filled with jars that seemed to hold a strange substance that neither of them could make out, until they got a closer inspection. James glanced around. "What are they?"

"Brains." Sirius murmured inspecting them.

"James!" Remus shouted from across the room.

His heart lifted. Had they found Harry? Bounding forward, James raised his wand, lighting it to give him more light. He found Remus supporting a giggly Ron, who was laughing feebly.

"What's wrong with him?" Sirius asked, approaching from behind.

"He was being strangled by these brains. I stunned them and freed him." Remus frowned, raised his wand again, and muttered a spell that seemed to bring Ron back to his normal self. He shook his head, seeming confused.

Ron blinked. "What happened? Where am I?"

"You're in the Department of Mysteries." Remus supplied. "You were confused by the brains."

"Brains?" Ron murmured. And then his eyes widened. "What are you doing here?" He looked over Remus' shoulder. "James!"

"Where's Harry?" James asked, moving closer to Ron.

"I dunno. We got split up. We came here to save you, James." Ron answered. He rubbed his hand to his head. "I don't understand what's goin' on."

"Tell me, what happened?" James asked, his eyes seeking information.

Ron quickly ran through the tale, beginning with Harry's nightmare of James being tortured and then being attacked by the Death Eaters, with the group being split up. He could not remember much after being confounded by a Death Eater.

"Come on," James said, getting to his feet, "we'll go through this door." He pointed high up some stairs. "And lets just hope that I've picked the right one."

"What about me?" Ron asked, scrambling to his feet, and grasping hold of his wand.

"You stay here." James said urgently, half-way up the steps. "It may be too dangerous!"

Ron cursed but he had no choice. He dare not disobey. He watched as the rest of the Order followed James through the door, searching for Harry.

* * *

The door opened into a chamber that had a dais in the centre, with a sort of veil falling from an arch. But that was not what horrified James. 

"Harry!" he screamed. "NO!"

For James had sprinted into the room to see his son about to hand over the Prophecy to Lucius Malfoy. He raised his wand and cast the stunning spell. It narrowly missed Malfoy who stumbled out of the way. James ran down the steps and rushed to Harry's side as the other members of the Order engaged the Death Eaters.

"Oh god, Harry, I'm so glad you're safe!" James hugged his son quickly, tears practically falling down his face.

"I'm fine, dad." Harry replied quickly, his green eyes darting from the various Order members that were now battling the Death Eaters, keeping them at bay away from him and his father, allowing them this small reunion. Never in all his life had Harry been so glad to see his father. He felt such a fall falling for Voldemort's trick, but James had come to save him, and Harry was glad that he had someone to rely on. "I've got the Prophecy but they want it."

"I know." James answered, throwing a curse over his shoulder at an approaching Death Eater. Glancing around, James spotted Neville Longbottom crawling forward, blood spilling from his nose. It looked broken. "Go to Neville." he instructed. "Get out of here Harry. Ron is in a room up those stairs. Grab him and get to the Atrium."

Harry looked like he was going to disagree but James shoved him forwards.

James cast his eyes round the room, catching sight of his friends fighting the Death Eaters. He lunged towards Sirius who was battling Bellatrix Lestrange near the dais upon which stood the Veil.

"STUPEFY!" James yelled, casting a spell at Dolohov who had just aimed a killing curse in Sirius' direction. It missed, thankfully. Scanning the room, James saw a small man slinking towards Harry. Small and almost rat like, an up-turned nose gave him away. Anger burned through James. "WORMTAIL!"

The small man turned in shock and his mousy eyes widened in horror as he saw a very angry Potter bolt towards him. He held up a wand and muttered a curse, but James deflected it. Peter Pettigrew shrunk up against the wall, whimpering as James disarmed him. Peter trembled as he noticed the anger in his former friend's eyes.

"James?…" he whispered, "Prongs?"

"DON'T YOU DARE CALL ME THAT! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT! NOT AFTER WHAT YOU'VE DONE!" screamed James, raising his wand. "YOU BETRAYED ME! YOU TOOK LILY AWAY FROM ME! HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO THE PEOPLE THAT HELPED YOU AND GAVE YOU SOMETHING TO LIVE FOR? I TRUSTED YOU!"

Tears seemed to pour down Pettigrew's face; whether they were real or fake, James did not know. "I didn't mean to…the Dark Lord forced me to…I was scared, James, you must see that…" Peter whimpered, trying to get James to understand the hopelessness of the situation he had been forced into.

"I THOUGHT I COULD TRUST YOU! I LAID MY LIFE IN YOUR HANDS AND THAT OF MY WIFE AND SON'S! YOU BETRAYED ME AFTER PROMISING YOU WOULD DO ANYTHING IN YOUR POWER TO KEEP IS SAFE! BUT YOU LIED!" James spat at Wormtail's feet, his eyes blazing in absolute fury and his body shaking in anger, as past and present clashed together. "YOU DON'T DESERVE MY SYMPATHY OR MY PITY! YOU DESERVE TO DIE, FOR ALL THE SUFFERIENG YOU'VE CAUSE ME AND HARRY AND SIRIUS AND REMUS TO GO THROUGH!"

"Please…" Wormtail begged, tears streaming down his round, mousy face.

James raised his wand and was about to cast the fatal curse when a voice called out from behind him.

"Dad!" Harry suddenly shouted from the steps.

James whirled. His anger at Pettigrew still bubbled through him, but seeing who had just stepped into the room, caused James to smile slightly as he realised that they were saved! Dumbledore had arrived.

James lowered his wand away from Pettigrew. Dumbledore could deal with him, for Wormtail had frozen in his place when he had seen Dumbledore. James was confident the little rat wouldn't try anything.

No matter how much he wanted to kill Pettigrew himself, he could not bring himself to do it. For nearly ten years Peter had been a friend, a Marauder, and James could not bear to execute a friend, even if he had betrayed him. He would rather Peter survive and be locked up in Azkaban and suffer the fate Sirius had had then kill him. Death was the easy way out, he would not give Peter that satisfaction.

Seeing Bellatrix James cast another spell lunging forward to aid Sirius, as Bellatrix pushed him further back. All around him the Death Eaters noticed Dumbledore's arrival, however Bellatrix did not, and continued to cast spells at Sirius.

"Come on you can do better then that!" Sirius shouted, laughing. In his moment of misconcentration Bellatrix threw a stunning curse at him. His arms wide, the spell hit him directly in the chest.

"NO!" James bellowed, rushing forward. He could hear Harry screaming his godfather's name. Bellatrix was laughing, as she watched gleefully as Sirius fell through the Veil, his face a mixture of fear and surprise.

James lunged towards the Veil, breathing fast. As Sirius passed through the Veil, James' hand reached out and grabbed his friend's foot. Sirius was too heavy and James followed him through the Veil.

The last thing he heard was Harry's scream.

* * *

"DAD! NO! SIRIUS! DAD!" yelled Harry. He rushed down the steps, still clutching the Prophecy, which he had managed to hold onto, despite being attacked by the Death Eaters who were determined to get hold of the Prophecy for their master. 

"HARRY! NO!" Remus leapt forwards, his fingers grasping the boy's shoulder. He pulled him back. "It's too late!"

Harry struggled fruitlessly against Remus, trying desperately to reach the Veil. He could save them, he knew he could. They had only just fallen through…

"It's too late. They're gone." Remus muttered, pulling Harry closer.

Tears were falling from the teenager's eyes. "They're not DEAD! Dad promised he would never leave me!"

"I'm sorry Harry, but they're both gone." Remus whispered, his own heart breaking in two. He had just got his best friends back, and now they were gone again. He hauled Harry away from the Veil, but the teenager pulled from his grip, running up the steps from which Remus had come through earlier, following Bellatrix Lestrange, who was making her escape during the confusion. With the Prophecy clutched tightly in one hand and his wand in the other, Harry bellowed:

"YOU KILLED THEM! I'LL KILL YOU!" Harry shouted forcefully. He bolted forward and up the steps, following the black billowing robes of the Death Eater. He would not stop until he had revenge.

Remus made a grab for him but failed. "Harry! Come back!" But he didn't hear: Harry was out of sight. Remus sank to his knees, putting his hands over his face. His eyes were wet with tears and all he wanted to do was go back in time and prevent all of this from happening. "Oh, god, first Sirius and then James….this can't be happening…it has to be all a dream." He felt his throat stick. He could barely voice his anguish. He sat in front of the dais, his mind a jumble of thoughts. His best friends were gone, and he had failed to keep Harry from running off. What use was he if he fell apart the moment he lost the people he cared most about?

The fighting had now completely stopped and the Death Eaters were being contained. Remus saw to his satisfaction that Wormtail was offering no resistance but his glances continued to look towards the Veil.

"Remus?" a soft voice asked.

Through his pain he saw Dumbledore standing beside him. "I know how you feel, but I need you to look out for the Death Eaters we have captured. I will not be long."

"Where are you going?" Remus' voice seemed to crack as he struggled to speak.

"To find Harry." Dumbledore answered calmly. With a swish of his cloak and a few striding steps, the headmaster was gone.

Remus brushed a hand over his eyes. "Please let Harry be alive. Don't let him do anything stupid."

Remus sank onto one of the stone tiers, ghostly laughter and screams still echoing in his ears. Wrenching his eyes away from the Veil, which was still fluttering innocently as though in a gentle breeze, he turned instead to look at the Death Eaters, his gaze almost inexorably drawn to a small, rat-faced man with an up-turned nose who was darting glances at the Veil with his watery eyes, shifting uneasily from foot to foot…He wondered what was going through the traitor's mind. _Probably proud of himself for what he's done to the Marauders, _Remus thought, as overwhelming hatred for Wormtail sped through his being.

Remus stood up and before he was aware of doing so had strode over to Peter Pettigrew, his ears ringing furiously as he grabbed the neck of Peter's scruffy grey robes and all but lifted him into the air. "R-Remus?" choked Peter, his pudgy fingers scrabbling at Remus' hands as Remus, almost grateful at the distraction from the laughter and screams pounding through his head, tightened his grip on Peter's robes and drew his wand with a shaking hand. "R-Remus, my, my old friend…"

"Shut up!" hissed Remus, his eyes narrowing as he hoisted Peter higher so that he was standing on his tiptoes. "I should have known you'd be here…glad to see them go through, were you? Egging Bellatrix on?" His voice was rising but he hardly noticed. "Were you glad you could finally see them dead? I bet you were just, were just laughing, inside…"

"N-no…"

"SHUT UP!"

"N-no, I _won't_! I wasn't, R-Remus, I wasn't! I swear I wasn't, I d-didn't mean to…Sirius had to g-go…I, I knew that b-but I didn't, I w-wasn't…he had to…I swear he –" Peter broke off suddenly, tears streaming down his grubby face.

"SO SIRIUS HAD TO DIE DID HE? WAS IT ALL PART OF YOUR MASTER'S GREAT PLAN WAS IT? WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU?"

"No…you don't understand…" Peter mumbled.

"THEN MAKE ME UNDERSTAND!" Remus screamed, shaking Peter forcefully, not caring in the slightest if he hurt him.

His mouth had opened slightly, his eyes suddenly lightening as he looked unseeingly past Remus…and suddenly he was fighting with every ounce of strength he possessed, scrabbling against Remus and kicking and biting. "Let me go, let me go, let me, let me…"

With a sharp, soft cry Remus let Peter fall, drawing his stinging hand back and unable to do more than glare in helplessness and then shock as Peter dropped to the ground, then bounded to his feet and scurried as fast as he could towards the raised dais. Scrambling atop it, he hesitated for a fraction of a second – then charged through the Veil and vanished.

* * *

They seemed to fall in the darkness, that seemed to James, lasted forever. He didn't know how long it took them, but finally they reached the bottom, landing with a thump in a very dark place. Space. They were between the worlds, it seemed: life and death. His hand still clutched Sirius' foot and something awoke inside him, telling him not to let go, otherwise he would lose his friend forever. 

Before he could contemplate where he was and how he might escape, James felt himself spinning again, and the next thing he realised, he was lying on a wooden floor, in his house at Godric's Hollow. His hand, was miraculously, still clutching his friend's foot.

Before he could contemplate where he was and how he might escape, James felt himself spinning again, and the next thing he realised, he was lying on a wooden floor, in his house at Godric's Hollow. His hand was, miraculously, still clutching his friend's foot.

Glancing up slowly, James looked around, his eyes growing wider as his breath began to quicken.

There was an antique clock on the mantelpiece, one that had been in his family for generations, and on either side of that were a pair of vases. He didn't even have to look to know that the one on the left held an enormous bouquet of freshly-cut flowers, and that the one on the right was filled with emerald green floo powder.

His mind numb, James turned his head slowly, already knowing what he would see. Baby toys – including a small stuffed black dog, a stuffed stag with the words 'PRONGS' crafted gently onto the side, a werewolf toy that Lily had magically made and an enchanted snitch,– littered the wooden floor, and behind him was an old, well-worn sofa, flanked by antique side tables upon which were heaped mounds of books, magazines, the occasional discarded candy wrapper, and a lamp around whose shade a Gryffindor scarf had been wrapped and the initials _S.B._ scrawled in large, elegant handwriting.

His grip on Sirius' foot tightening as his hands began to shake uncontrollably, James pushed himself to his knees and looked beyond the couch, at the large wooden door which lead to the kitchen. As he stared at it, it creaked slowly open, and someone walked out.

Carefully, James grabbed hold of Sirius' wrist and then left go of his foot. He sat himself in a position on the floor, wondering aloud. Why had he done this? Why had he fallen through? It had felt like that something had been pulling him towards it. He was unsure whether Sirius' weight had really anything to do with it.

"I'll never see Harry again. I'm dead." He said loudly.

He was completely surprised when someone answered for he was not expecting it.

"You are not dead, James."

It was a woman's voice, the voice of someone very dear to his heart.

James looked up and saw Lily Potter, walking through the door that led to the kitchen, where Lily had always made superb meals. It was where James would find her every night when he came home from work, in the midst of cooking a meal and trying to feed a toothing baby.

He was at a loss for words and managed only a small gasp. "How?" he finally managed to rasp out, the shock of seeing his wife again still rippling through his soul.

Lily walked forward her red hair flying back before her. "Only Voldemort can kill you. You, James, are Harry's guardian. Life was granted to you again because Harry needed someone to guide him through this rough period. The Veil has not killed you, but it has taken Sirius' life."

James nearly wrenched his hand away from Sirius' but Lily stopped him when she continued speaking. She held out a hand, nearly touching James, but refrained from doing so.

"Don't. Move your hand away and he will fade. Holding him is keeping him here with you." Lily explained.

James swallowed. What was going on? "Do you know…know why I was brought back?"

Lily nodded.

"Can…can…you tell me?"

"I will." Lily answered and spread her hands wide. "But it is a long and complicated story."

"I have to know." James replied, his voice practically breaking from the excitement that was brewing deep inside him. "Anything so I can understand why I was given another chance."

"Very well." Lily began, "As you know James, both of us were murdered by Lord Voldemort on October thirty-first 1980. However before he attacked us, I invoked an ancient piece of magic that bonded father and son together. This spell would come into force if only the child in question really needed someone, someone who had gone from the world, but someone who they desperately long for. When Harry made that wish, last summer, he asked specifically for someone to guide him and help him, someone who he could rely upon. The magic that I laid upon you two sprang to life and it was this that caused you to wake up James. The magic protecting you is very strong. Voldemort is the only one that can kill you. But anyone can kill Harry. If Harry dies then the spell protecting both of you fails and anyone will be able to strike you done. As long as neither of you die, the only person who has the power and the ability to destroy you, is Lord Voldemort." She said this carefully and slowly, ensuring that James had time to digest all the information.

"The prophecy." James murmured as it dawned on him.

"Correct. The Prophecy does not apply to you for you will never be able to defeat Voldemort, but it is still the fate of our son." Lily smiled sadly.

"But what if Harry is not killed by Voldemort but by someone else?"

"Then you will become mortal and anyone can kill you. As long as you protect Harry and see that he comes to no harm, then both of you are safe."

James sighed as he looked round, still holding onto Sirius' hand. "Then how do I get back then? I can't protect him from here, can I?"

"No," Lily shook her head, raising a hand, "When you died, the dead lost one of their number. Someone who cares for you very much must die in order to allow you to remain in the living world, otherwise the two different planes, life and death, will not be balanced. And that is why Sirius fell through the Veil, because the dead need a sacrifice to sustain themselves, otherwise the world I live in will collapse. If it does, the living will be affected as well."

"But I can't let him go." James stammered.

"I know that." Lily replied, smiling gently, "and you're not going to, either."

"So how am I going to get out of here if Sirius has to remain?"

"I will take his place." a voice said from behind them.

James cricked his neck in his hurry to see who the newcomer was. Standing behind him, white as a ghost was Peter Pettigrew.

"YOU!" he yelled.

"Yes me," Peter said hanging his head in shame. "I will take his place."

"You don't care about me!" James snarled. "You only care about your own stinking skin!"

"That's not true." Peter muttered. "I am deeply sorry for betraying you but I was scared and unsure what to do. It was dark times: I could see no light ahead. He threatened me if I did not tell him where you were staying. I felt awfully and regretted it the moment I told him. For thirteen years I regretted everything I had done, and then I learnt that Sirius was out of Azkaban. I knew he was coming for me, why else would he have escaped. I had watched out for Harry for two years, but I knew if I was discovered I would not be able to continue with that. When I had to flee I went to the only person who I knew could help me: You-Know-Who. I should not have done that, but I was scared of his retaliation. I owed Harry my life, and I have had a chance to repay that debt through this way. If I can give him Sirius back then I would gladly lay down my life so that he would be happy. The Dark Lord no longer has any use for me."

"LIAR!" James shouted at the end of his monologue. "How can I trust you?"

"You'll just have to take his word for it, James." Sirius suddenly spoke.

"Sirius!" In his surprise James let go of his friend's hand. "No!" But his friend did not fade, instead Wormtail was. He had meant it. Wormtail had meant to sacrifice himself for Sirius. Did he really care? Did he really have Harry's best interests at heart?

They watched as Peter Pettigrew faded into death, leaving only the luminescent spirit of Lily Potter standing beside them. James held his breath, unsure of what would happen next. His hazel eyes sought Lily's green ones. She gave him a smile.

"You can go back now. The sacrifice needed to keep you in the mortal world has been given. Both of you can go." Lily explained. A slight sadness seemed to light within her.

James felt himself lifting upwards into the air; Sirius at his side, looking weary. The living room in which they had been in began to fade, and soon James found himself floating in mid-air, back in the darkness where he had first appeared. The spirit of Lily rose up with them, floating upwards until a gap came in the darkness. Sirius went through first, and as James was about to go through Lily reached out a hand, grasped his fingers and pulled him closer.

"I've missed you," Lily whispered in his ear, as she hugged him, "and I'll miss you even more."

Though he knew it would be an impossible feat, James leaned forward, planting his lips on Lily's, kissing her tightly, passionately. He could not explain why she was a solid person, nor did he want to know, but he realised that she could not come through the Veil. Here they would part until James died and returned to the world of the dead.

Tears threatened him. Was it possible to cry when you were dead? To his astonishment he found Lily crying. "I promised myself I would not cry when this time came, but I cannot stop myself." Lily whispered, brushing a hand down James' cheek. Her hand was trembling. James grasped her hand, determined not to let her go. He loved her to much to let her suffer the darkness and death alone.

"I can't let you go." He felt his voice break as the emotions broke through. Tears fell, dotting his cheeks. Lily wiped them away, her bright eyes boring deep into James'.

"We'll be together again, my love, but you have work to do." She swallowed. "I love you so much James. I know life is unbearable without me, but Harry needs you more then I do."

James kissed her again, pressing her body against his. He knew he could not take her with him, but the thought of losing her after seeing her again was too much to bear.

"Please, James," Lily begged, "Go and be happy."

"Remember," she continued, stroking his face, "that I will always be watching over you." And then she leaned forward, kissing him. Tears were falling down her cheeks.

Finally James released her, but he still held her hand. Then she slipped from his grasp as an invisible force grabbed her.

"LILY!" he cried, desperately trying to hold her one last time. His fingers brushed her hands.

"Look out for our son, James. Don't let him die…please…help him. Farewell, my love, until we meet again." Those were the last words James Potter would ever hear his darling wife ever say in his life time, and then he was being hurled through the Veil and back into the mortal world.

* * *

"Glad to see that you are awake, Prongs, finally." Sirius said, smiling, sitting in a chair beside his bed. 

James groaned wondering how he had got to the hospital wing. He blinked. "Sirius?"

"Yes, it's me."

"What happened?" James asked; a throbbing pain in his head seemed to be giving him problems.

Sirius shrugged. "I don't really know. I can't remember. I fell through that Veil thing at the Ministry. The next thing I know I'm laying on the floor of the Department of Mysteries with Moony going hysterical. I don't know how I got there. For some reason…" he swallowed, as if he was finding it hard to explain his feelings, "I feel as though I died."

"You did." James mused, as his memory came back to him. Lily. Why could he remember that conversation and not Sirius? "Do you know about Wormtail?"

"Yeah. Remus said that he ran into the Veil. So, I gather, he killed himself."

"He sacrificed himself for you."

"ME?" Sirius looked flabbergasted. "Why would that rat do that?"

"Because he cares for Harry even though he's never shown it before. Deep in his heart, I think, Wormtail knew that Harry deserved the happiness he could get."

Scratching his neck, Sirius asked: "So if you said I died, and you followed me through - I know you did because I saw you grab hold of my foot - then why are we both alive and not Peter?"

"That is a very complicated story. But as far as I know, me and Harry have a connection of some sorts. Lily placed a bonding spell on us so that if Harry badly needed an adult around then I could come back and aid him. Apparently because of our bond, only Voldemort has the power to kill me. What I know is that, if Harry dies then anyone will be able to kill me because there will be no point in me being here, because I was brought back to protect and aid him. Voldemort is the only one who can successfully kill me, apparently. If Harry dies then anyone can fling the Avada Kedavra at me and kill me, but while I'm protecting Harry that can't happen."

James hesitated. "I know why you fell through the Veil and why we returned."

"Yeah, because Bellatrix cursed me!" Sirius snarled, anger evident in his eyes at the mention of his cousin.

"That's not why. There's another reason which explains why we both survived."

"And what's that?"

"In order for me to remain in the mortal world, the other plane has to have a sacrifice of some sort to sustain the balance, but it's got to be someone who cares for me and Harry. The other plane chose you Sirius, but Wormtail took that choice and went on his own. In a sense he was loyal enough to me to remember our friendship and give up his life to allow me and you to stay with Harry."

Sirius frowned. He found it hard to believe. "I just can't see Wormtail doing that."

"Me neither, but I was there. I can remember it, whereas you can't. It was him. He took his own life in order for you to remain in Harry's life. He chose that path and I respect him for that." James explained. "Peter may have betrayed me and took my Lily away from me, but his sacrifice has given you another chance." He shifted the pillows, frowning as he thought over what Peter's sacrifice. If Peter had cared so much about Harry's welfare, why had he betrayed James before? Surely he would've wanted to protect them? It didn't make much sense why Wormtail would sacrifice himself now…but then perhaps he had changed, but because Remus and Sirius had never given him the chance, then how were they to know that Peter wouldn't have done that anyway?

Sirius could not reply. He had suffered much due to Peter's betrayal. Could he really forgive him? He didn't know if he could, even though he had been saved from death, and he now had a chance to remain with James longer. He could not forgive him, not yet. Not yet, but maybe one day he would.

Only time would tell.

* * *

Three major events occurred after the Department of Mysteries battle. The first was that Harry informed James that Dumbledore had finally told him of the Prophecy. Harry had managed to save the Prophecy, even when he had been faced with Voldemort after he had rushed off to chase Bellatrix. Harry had been utterly surprised that he would be the one destined to defeat Voldemort. He still didn't understand some parts of the Prophecy but Dumbledore had informed he would eventually. He had a long path before him, but he was glad that his father had promised to stand by him and aid him in anyway he could. 

The second major event that happened was that Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, finally realised that to his error that Voldemort was indeed back and held a press conference. He apologised for not listening to Dumbledore and immediately he began to set up security measures and organising the Aurors. To top it all off, the Dementors of Azkaban rebelled and joined Voldemort.

The third and final event was the trial of Sirius Black. There was sufficient evidence from all the Death Eaters proving that Sirius was innocent of all charges. All of them succumbed to Veritaserum, the truth drug, and when asked about the whereabouts of Peter Pettigrew, all of them informed him of his fate in the Department of Mysteries. Then Sirius was put on the truth drug. His story matching the Death Eaters convinced the jury to see him innocent, and Sirius was freed and given compensation for all the wrong the Ministry had done to him.

Umbridge left Hogwarts in disgrace and Dumbledore returned. James decided to not return to the school, instead he joined the Auror Academy along with Sirius. The two wanted desperately to fight back against the darkness that had last made itself known.

In the meantime the end of the school year drew nigh and the students were soon coming home on the Hogwarts Express. James and Sirius waited on the platform for Harry, Ron and Hermione, along with the Weasleys and a few members of the Order of the Phoenix. When Harry came through the barrier, James rushed up to him, hugging him.

"Now I've got some bad news for you, son." James said.

"What's that?" Harry asked dutifully.

"You're going to have to go back to the Dursleys. You know why though. I'll come and get you in a few weeks time."

Harry sighed. "But can't I come and live with you?"

James shook his head. "Sorry kiddo, but I've got to pass my Auror exams first. Another two weeks and then I'll be there to pick you up."

"Promise?"

"Yeah, I promise. Marauders vow." James said, ruffling Harry's hair. "Now, lets go and see those relatives of yours, shall we?"

And leading the way James led the way to the Dursleys who were waiting near by. A grin spread across his face as he wondered what there reactions would be at seeing him alive. Winking back at Sirius, James couldn't help thinking that his life was perfect. He had much to look forward to and one of them was watching his son grow into a man.

**The End**

**Wow…I never thought that I'd get this far. Thank you for all the reviews for this story! Review Responses for the last chapter will be posted on my live journal shortly. The link is in my bio. **

**Right, the story is not over, and I am planning on writing through to Harry's sixth and seventh year. I am in the process of planning it out but it will be at least three-four weeks before I get the first chapter up. I have no definite title as of yet, but the working title is 'The Bond'. **

**Here is a quick summary for you: **While Harry returns to his sixth year at Hogwarts, James Potter and Sirius Black are sent on missions for Dumbledore that could eventually lead to the ultimate end of Voldemort. As the second war begins and darkness falls, the bond between father and son grows stronger, but will it be enough to protect them both at the final confrontation?

**So there you go, that is what the sequel is about. I hope you enjoyed the final chapter of Prongs Rides Again, and thank you for all the support. I will have review responses up shortly on my live journal, so keep looking just in case! **

**Please let me know what you think of this final chapter!**

**Bye,**

**MissBlackPotter, who wishes every single one of her reviewers to have a nice summer holiday. **


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